Moonlight
by Crystal of Moonlight
Summary: For centuries, the humans didn't believe in them, but after a book turned the attention to mystic creatures again, life isn't that easy anymore for all of them and they have to deal with that. What happens when werewolves, vampires and angels will meet?
1. Prolog

**Hi there. ^-^**

**I'm back with a vampire - werewolf - angel story. I know, I know. There are soooooooooo many of them out there, but I had the idea for this story quite a while now, and I think I should finally write it. **

**Summary:**

**The main characters are Ryou, Bakura, Malik, Marik, Yugi and Yami. Among them, there are angels, vampires and werewolves. **

**For centuries now, the majority of the humans hasn't thought much about mystic creatures like vampires. Barely anybody believed in those creatures anymore, what made the life for those inhuman beings easier. But suddenly, mystic creatures are one of the top issues again. Nearly everyone knows what a vampire looks like, almost everyone is interested in mystic creatures again. Because of a certain book that fascinated many people (I think you know that I mean 'Twilight', right? Btw, I don't own it. Other than that it's merely the trigger to everything, it isn't involved in the story, so it doesn't matter whether you liked 'Twilight' or hated it ;D ). And the mystic creatures out there are anxious. Will the humans find out that not everyone they know is what they seemed to be?  
What will happen, when fate decides to let the vampires, werewolves and angels meet? Will they fight with each other?**

**-Yaoi/Shonen-ai. I won't tell you the exact pairings, because first of all, the pairings will change during the story and secondly, telling you would take away the suspense, wouldn't it?**

**Also, I say this again now, the story has actually nothing to do with "Twilight", the appearance of a book like that is just the trigger to many things that happen in my story and, yeah. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!**

**Enjoy the story!**

**(This is by the way only the prolog to the story; a short introduction to everything. So don't be scared off by the first part of this story. ^_^ ) **

**Moonlight**

**Prolog**

Mystic creatures... they exist ever since the humankind can remember. Even the most ancient documents mention those inhuman beings, those indefinable creatures.

Unicorns, mermaids, centaurs, dragons, zombies... But also werewolves, vampires and angels.

Angels... The total opposite of vampires and werewolves, right? Angels are good and innocent and helpful and pure. They spread happiness, hope and peace. If you would draw an angel, you surely would make them wear white clothes and they would have white wings and over their head would be a halo. People always thought of angels like that. Many people think that after their death, they will become an angel, too and live in heaven.

And vampires and werewolves... They always symbolize the evil and everything bad. You connect them to death and immortality. Death, because they bring death over the humans. Immortality, because they are believed to be immortal. If you think of them, you automatically think of darkness or the color black, right?

Angels are always good and vampires as well as werewolves are always the bad guys.

Says who?

Way before the Middle ages, people believed in mystic creatures and they were afraid of them, from the evil ones at any rate. Back then, many people believed that there really were inhuman beings, what made the life of those creatures pretty hard. They had to hide and could only come out at night to prevent the humans from seeing them. The humans started to burn and torture everything they thought wasn't a real human being, though the ones they killed often were innocent humans. Very rarely, they killed a real vampire or werewolf.

As the Middle ages were past, the belief in mystic creatures slowly decreased. The following five hundred years, less and less people believed in vampires or werewolves, though still many people hoped that there would be angels, because angels were good after all and nothing to be afraid of.

For a long time, all those inhuman creatures were almost forgotten, what was good for them, because then they didn't have to hide and they didn't have to be extra careful.

And suddenly, they were top issue. Because of a book. Thousands of people were interested in vampires and werewolves all of a sudden. Suddenly, they all began to read books and web pages about mystic creatures and seemed to know a lot about those beings. A lot, but thankfully not everything...

**-Ryou and Bakura-**

"Bakura! Did you-"

"Yeah. I read it in the newspapers, too."

"I can't believe it..."

Two pale boys who both had long white hair stood in the middle of their kitchen, the newspapers on the table.

The smaller boy who had soft features and chocolate brown eyes with a red cast was obviously upset. The taller boy who had sharp features and dark brown, almost black, eyes with a red cast tried to comfort the smaller one. He laid his hand on the smaller boy's shoulder.

"Ryou", the taller one said. "Calm down. Do you really think that-"

"Yes!", Ryou interrupted. "Yes, Bakura!"

Bakura rolled his eyes. "It is only a book. Do you really think that anybody believes that what is written there is true?"

Ryou nodded.

Bakura sighed and shook his head. "The humans today are not like the humans five hundred years ago. They don't believe what one person tells them. And by the way, it is specified as a fantasy book. Fantasy", Bakura repeated. "You do know what that means, right?"

Ryou nodded again. "Of course, but-"

"No 'buts'", Bakura interrupted. "Fantasy. It means that it isn't real. It's invented, not true."

Bakura took Ryou's head in his hands. "You understand?", he asked and the smaller boy nodded. "Good", Bakura said and let go of him.

Sighing, Ryou sat down on a chair at the table. He was afraid. Afraid, that the time would repeat itself. That everything would happen again.

"But Bakura", Ryou began again. Annoyed, Bakura turned round.

"What?", he asked.

"I... I... I just can't understand... How...?", the smaller boy stuttered.

Bakura shook his head. "You just can't let go, can you?", he said and sighing, he sat down on a chair next to Ryou.

The smaller boy looked him into the eyes. "Bakura... I just can't understand how a human can know all that... I mean... almost everything is true!", Ryou said.

"I know that, Ryou", Bakura told him. "But the humans don't know it. They think it's just invented, okay? You don't have to be afraid. Things like they've happened over five hundred years ago won't happen again, okay?" Ryou didn't look convinced. "Besides, most of the people they have burned back then have been innocent humans. Very rarely, people have spotted one of us. You of all people should know that", Bakura said. Ryou's eyes saddened.

"Yeah... You're probably right...", Ryou mumbled and Bakura nodded.

"Of course. I'm always right", he said. Ryou rolled his eyes.

"But", Ryou began. "There is still the question how a human got to know all this stuff. I mean... somebody must have told her or somebody has been careless. I don't think that she's one herself, because... I don't think that anyone of us wants to repeat what happened in medieval times... Besides... not everything is true."

Bakura shrugged. "I don't care how she got to know all that. The important thing is that the humans don't believe in us again or else our life wouldn't be as easy as it is at the moment. Don't you think?", he asked.

Ryou didn't respond for a while. He just stared at the floor.

"You know... Actually I don't care what will happen to us", he said.

Bakura raised an eyebrow. "You don't?"

Ryou looked at him. "I don't want that again thousands of innocent people have to die..."

Bakura rolled his eyes. "Oh, please! When will you finally accept what you are?", he asked.

"Probably never", Ryou whispered and stood up.

Bakura stood up, too, and hold the smaller boy at the shoulder. "Ryou... Some day you have to accept what you are now. I know you will. You won't stand it forever. Accept what you are!"

"Not if I can help it", Ryou said firmly and went upstairs into his bedroom.

Bakura stood in the kitchen. He shook his head. "This boy is unbelievable..."

**-Malik and Marik-**

Two boys sat opposite each other on a bed.

They both had bronzed skin and sand-colored hair. One of them had spiky hair and sharp features. His eyes were a dark purple. The other boy had softer features and his eyes were lavender.

"You're gonna lose, Malik", the boy with spiky hair said and narrowed his eyes. "Like always."

Malik narrowed his eyes, too. "We will see, Marik", he said and crossed his arms over his chest.

And then, they stared at each other. Minutes passed and nobody had made a move. They didn't even blink. They just stared at each other with an angry expression.

Suddenly, the door opened noisily and a black haired woman came in.

Malik was startled and jumped up from his chair.

"Ha!", Marik shouted. "You've lost! Like always. I told you."

"That was not fair! Ishizu has startled me!", Malik yelled.

"Stop it!", the black haired woman shouted.

Both Malik and Marik looked at her. Her expression was worried.

"Sister?", Malik said. "What's going on?"

"Why do you look so worried, Ishizu?", Marik asked.

Ishizu showed them a newspaper article. The title read:

_Are vampires and werewolves among us?_

Malik and Marik scanned the article, then they looked at their sister.

"Ishizu, you know that it's only an article about a book", Marik said.

"Yeah and there are hundreds of other books and movies about that. No reason to be worried", Malik said.

"But you don't understand!", Ishizu told them. "This book... it comes near to the truth. I mean... What if now, that people are interested again in mystic creatures... what if they find out that they exist really? What if people recognize what you are?", she asked. "What will happen to you then?" Tears filled up in her eyes.

Malik and Marik looked at each other. They went to their sister and hugged her.

"Ishizu... Don't worry", Marik said. "Because of a book, nobody will believe that creatures like us exist."

"Marik is right", Malik said. "Nobody will believe it. Nobody will get to know what we are, okay?"

"We won't let it happen that anybody finds out what we really are. We promise, sister", Marik told her.

Ishizu nodded. "I can only hope so. I don't know what people would do if they'd know..." She wiped away her tears and left the room.

Marik and Malik sat down on the bed again.

"It is only a book...", Malik said. "Right?"

Marik nodded. "Of course. Ishizu should know that actually...", he answered.

"But that's what worries me. She should know... Nevertheless she is worried", Malik said.

"Maybe the title of the article just startled her. I mean... She's really frightened of what would happen to us if people would know what our true nature is", Marik said.

Sighing, Malik slumped backwards into the pillow on the bed.

"What do you think would happen to us?", Malik asked. "Would they kill us or would they lock us away and make tests with us in a laboratory?"

Marik shrugged and looked at his brother. "I don't know. They would certainly kill us. The question is if they would do it after they would have tested us or if they would kill us as soon as they would know", Marik replied.

Malik sighed. "All we can do is hope that nobody will find it out and that nobody will believe what the book writes."

Marik nodded. "Yeah. Hope. That's what we always could best."

**-Yugi and Yami-**

"Yami, can I ask you something?", a small boy with tri-colored hair asked his taller look-alike who sat on the couch.

"Sure. What's on your mind, Yugi?", Yami asked. Yugi sat down next to him.

"Did you hear from that book?", Yugi asked.

"Which book?"

"The one with vampires and werewolves. Do you know it?", Yugi asked.

"I think I've heard people talking about it", Yami said. "What about it?"

"Well...", Yugi began. "I think it has made people interested again in mystic creatures." Yami raised his eyebrows. "But", Yugi continued. "I don't think that it's a good thing. I think-"

"You think that people now believe in mystic creatures again?", Yami finished Yugi's sentence.

"Yeah", Yugi answered. "What if people find out that we really exist? What would happen to us?"

"I don't know, Yugi... I don't know", Yami replied. "But, actually, I don't think that anybody believes what a fantasy book tells them. For them, it's just fantasy. They don't know that there is a lot of truth in it."

"But Yami...", Yugi said. "It doesn't matter if they know that it's true or not. What matters is what they believe. In medieval times, people believed, too, that there are mystic creatures. They burned everything they thought wasn't a human. Why are you sure that something like this won't happen again? Why are you sure that people don't believe that we exist?"

"I'm not sure, Yugi", Yami said.

The two looked at each other and for a moment, there was silence.

"You know that almost everything written in there is true", Yugi broke the silence. "If the humans would pay attention, they could notice that there are mystic creatures. Until now, they just haven't paid attention for centuries. What if they start paying attention again? Because of the book, the humans are interested in mystic creatures again. They know what those creatures look like. They could recognize them. What if they recognize what we are, Yami?"

Yami shook his head. "I don't know what would happen then. And I don't think that it will happen. The humans don't believe in stuff like that anymore. Some hundred years ago, this was different, I know. But times are changing and the humans are changing, too", Yami told him. "But whatever will happen, I'll be there for you and that is for sure. Okay?"

Yugi nodded. Then, he sighed.

"But I'm not only worried about what will happen to us, if people find it out. I just don't want that, if the humans know that mystic creatures exist, they repeat what happened back in medieval times. Innocent people were mistaken for witches and vampires and other creatures and were burned alive. That is horrible!", Yugi said.

Yami nodded. "Yeah, it is horrible and I understand you. But there is nothing we could do if the humans would get to know it", Yami said and laid his arm around Yugi's neck. "But... You know how difficult it is for us to identify other mystic creatures. You know how often we've already been wrong and caught a human by accident." Yugi and Yami's eyes saddened at the memories.

"Sure", Yami continued, " You said the humans could recognize that mystic creatures exist if they would pay attention, that is true, but it's not as easy as you said it is. If it is difficult for us, then it is even more difficult for the humans. The chance that a human recognizes a mystic creature is low and even if a human recognizes it, he surely doesn't believe what he has seen."

Yugi nodded. "You're probably right. I'm just afraid..."

Yami understood Yugi only too well. He, too, was afraid that the humans would find out that they aren't humans and that there are more inhuman creatures out there. Evil creatures...

**-To be continued...**

**And? Can you guess who is what?**

**This was only the prolog of the story. I hope it wasn't too boring. The real chapters will be more exciting.**

**I hope you liked it. ^-^**

**Please send me a review and tell me what you think. Is it a good start for the story or should I rewrite it? I'd be very happy to hear from you.**

**~Crystal of Moonlight~**


	2. Chapter 1 Effects

**Hi everybody!**

**This is chapter one. I hope you like it.**

**Oh, and thanks for the reviews and for adding the story to your favorites or your story alert. ^-^**

**Just one thing you have to know before you start reading this chapter: Ryou and Bakura live in England, Marik and Malik live in Egypt and Yami and Yugi live in Japan.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!**

**"blah blah" = talking  
//blah blah// = thinking**

**Chapter 1 Effects**

This is the beginning of the story. The story that is about the effects that a simple book could have. The story about anxious creatures. Creatures that shouldn't exist. Creatures that couldn't live in harmony with each other. The story of a one-sided, unreturned love. The story of a forbidden love. A love that wasn't right. The story about a love that nobody believed could exist. The story that is about more than life and death. Far more...

**--------------------------------------------------Ryou and Bakura--------------------------------------------------**

The day began like every other Monday, but the life of the two white haired boys should soon change, though neither of them knew it up to now.

It rained, what wasn't unusual for this place and time of the year as it rained nearly every day. Ryou and Bakura drove with their car to school, like always.

The worries Ryou'd had on the weekend (that people could believe in mystic creatures again because of the book that was everbody's top issue at the moment) were almost forgotten, because Bakura had been able to convince the smaller white-haired boy that the people today were clever enough to not believe in them again. Ryou wasn't really convinced, but he tried to stop thinking about it.

//Bakura is right//, Ryou had thought the previous day after Bakura had told him for the hundredth time that he shouldn't worry. //I should stop thinking about it, because the time won't repeat itself. The humans today wouldn't even believe in creatures like us if it would be obvious what we are. I really shouldn't worry...//

As they arrived at school this morning, either of them went to his first class.

But... maybe Bakura shouldn't have been so sure about what he'd told Ryou.

//What the...//, Ryou thought and furrowed his brow as he walked into the classroom this morning. Nearly all the other students were looking at him out of the corner of their eyes when he entered the room. When he looked at them, they averted their gazes and as he went past them to his seat at the back of the classroom, they all started whispering. But still, Ryou could hear clearly what they were saying, after all he wasn't like normal humans...

"I always thought he's strange..."

"Do you think he is really one?"

"He is so handsome..."

"And he's so pale..."

"And his eyes... they've got a red cast..."

"I'm scared..."

"Maybe it's just a coincidence that he looks like one..."

"What if it is true?"

"What if he's really one?"

"Do you really think that such... things exist?"

"And what about his brother?"

"It would explain why they are always so reserved..."

"Shall we tell anyone?"

"I can't believe it..."

"He seems so nice..."

"Certainly he isn't as he seems..."

Ryou knew that they talked about him. But why? What was the occasion? Something wasn't right. Ryou could feel it. Something about what his classmates were talking about was strange. It didn't make sense to him.  
The last time people had talked about him was when he and Bakura had been new at this school. They had been the new, handsome, pale brothers (they always told people they were brothers, because their appearance was so similar, but in truth they weren't brothers) that had soon turned the heads of all girls in school. But after they'd turned down every single one, they'd been ignored by almost everybody at school. However, that made it only easier for Ryou and Bakura so they didn't mind. They couldn't get friendly with these humans. It just wasn't right.  
And Ryou didn't want to bring his fellow students in danger, though he hated staying away from the people that would like to be his friends, that were always so nice to him. He hated it. His life... himself...

Loneliness... That was one of the things this kind of life brought along.

But Ryou had after all Bakura. If he wouldn't exist, Ryou was sure that he wouldn't be able to take this life... On the other side if Bakura wouldn't exist, Ryou wouldn't be in this situation in the first place...

As the last time people had really talked about Ryou and Bakura was already two years ago, the fact that now people were talking about them again all of a sudden was what Ryou found strange.

He looked down at his desk and tried to ignore what the other students said and the stares they gave him, because it made him feel uncomfortable. That was, until someone whispered what apparently everybody in this room thought.

"... vampires..."

Ryou's head snapped up. The other students looked startled at him. Ryou's mouth hung open. He looked at the others, from one face to the next.

//No...//, he thought. //It... We're leaked out! It can't be... How could they...?//

Quickly, he shut his mouth and tried to act normal again and not suspiciously. He looked back down at his desk.

Then, Ryou went through the possibilities how they could have found out. Had he or Bakura been careless lately? Not really... But how else could they...?

And then it suddenly dawned on him.

//The book...//, Ryou thought. //I knew this would happen... I knew it! I... have to talk to Bakura. We have to get away...//

But at the moment, Ryou couldn't go anywhere. The teacher had just come in and class started and if he would leave now, he would only confirm what his classmates had just said and that way he would give the secret, he and Bakura had for centuries now, away.

So he had no option but to hang on until lunch time.

The following classes weren't any better. His classmates still kept looking at him in a strange way. Frightened, excited and curious expressions followed him the entire morning, from one classroom to the next.

As it was finally lunch time, he stormed to the sakura tree where he and Bakura always spent their break. Bakura was already there as Ryou arrived, leaning against the tree with his arms crossed behind his head and his eyes shut.

"Hey, Ry", Bakura said without opening his eyes.

"Bakura! You won't believe what I have to tell you!", Ryou said and sat down cross-legged next to Bakura.

"Oh, I think I know what you wanna tell me", Bakura told him. "The students in your classes talked about you, too, right?"

Ryou nodded. "I guess that you didn't have a better morning than I had", he stated.

"Too right!", Bakura growled. "They kept staring at me and whispered about me and stuff. Annoying..."

"But Bakura...", Ryou began. "What are we going to do now?", he asked his taller look-alike in a voice so low that the normal human ear couldn't hear what was said.

An evil smirk spread on Bakura's face. "We could kill them all", he whispered.

Ryou darted a death glare at him. "Never even think that again!", Ryou hissed.

Bakura grinned, so that he revealed his sharp canines, and opened his eyes to look at Ryou. "Ah, come on. You know I'm only joking", he said.

Ryou still glared at him.

"Okay, you probably don't know it. But I am joking. Besides, it would have been too much work to kill them all not to mention the mess it would make...", Bakura told Ryou.

Ryou's angry look didn't disappear. "Don't ever joke about something like that again!", he hissed. "You know that I don't support your way of living, but I have to accept it whether I want to or not. However, I don't have to listen to your unacceptable 'jokes'!"

"You're so cute when you're angry", Bakura smiled and reached out to stroke Ryou's cheek.

But Ryou slapped Bakura's hand away.

"Don't forget that we're still in school", Ryou told him. "They think we're brothers", he added.

"And?", Bakura grinned.

Ryou merely shook his head, deciding against responding. Instead he changed the subject back to what he actually wanted to talk about.

"So... what are we going to do now?", Ryou asked. "They know it! I knew that this book was ominous. We have to go!"

Bakura looked at him, his face serious now. "You think they really believe it?", he asked.

Ryou nodded. "Yeah. They said things like: 'I always knew they were strange.' Stuff like that. They really believe it!"

Bakura sighed. "Or could it be that you're just a bit overreacting? I mean, come on, who would believe them? I don't think that the police would."

Ryou looked at him, a desperate expression on his face. "But Bakura... What if they start monitoring us and... and find out that they were right? It's our duty to prevent it that the humans get to know that creatures like us exist", Ryou said. "Besides, I thought they talked about us in your classes, too."

Bakura nodded. "Yeah. But... they are only stupid mortals. You can't take what they say that serious..."

Ryou shook his head. "No, we have to take it serious! Bakura, there's no way around... We have to get away from here... It's better for us and for them..."

Bakura looked Ryou deep in the eyes. "Ryou... Is this really what you want? You will only confirm their assumptions by disappearing."

Ryou furrowed his brow in despair. "I know... But I don't know what else we should do... It would be far more dangerous that they find out what we really are if we stay."

Bakura sighed. "If to go away is what you want, then I am fine with it."

"Thanks", Ryou said. "It is better... for us and for them..."

Bakura rolled his eyes. He couldn't understand why Ryou cared about these humans. But if Ryou wanted to change residence, then he would go with him, of course. Besides, it was about time that they would move anyway. They were already too long at this place. Soon, people would get suspicious about the fact that they didn't age.

"So... when do we leave?", Bakura asked Ryou.

"As soon as possible. This afternoon after class we sign off of school and then disappear as quick as we can. If that's okay for you", Ryou said.

Bakura shrugged. "I don't care..."

Ryou sighed. "Good. That makes it a lot easier, don't you think?"

Bakura rolled his eyes.

"And where do you wanna go?", Bakura asked his smaller look-alike.

"Uh..." Ryou hadn't thought about that yet. "Maybe a place we haven't been for a long time..."

"Hmm...", Bakura pondered. "Perhaps... Japan?"

Ryou looked at him and smiled. "That's a great idea!", he said. "We haven't been in Japan for centuries!"

"Then it's decided", Bakura said. "The only thing we can hope for is that people in Japan aren't like people here."

"Yeah", Ryou agreed. "It would be best if they wouldn't even know the book."

Bakura nodded. "And if then we can only hope that they don't believe in fantasy books."

The school bell interrupted their conversation. Sighing, the two boys stood up and headed to their next classes. This would be their last school day here. Tonight, they would already be heading for Japan, far away from the people that got to the truth, that found out what they really are.

Vampires...

**---------------------------------****---------Malik and Marik-----------------------------------------------------**

The ardent noon sun beat down at the small Egyptian village on this rather hot day, making it impossible for the people to spent too much of the lunchtime outside.

Malik and Marik were inside, too, down in the cool cellar that looked almost like a chamber tomb.

They were having an argument with their sister, Ishizu, and their brother, Odion.

"No way!", Malik shouted.

Ishizu narrowed her eyes. "I knew you wouldn't like the idea, but I thought that you would be at least a bit understanding!", she told them.

"We don't want to move away from here!", Marik yelled.

"It's our home!", Malik added.

Odion sighed. "I can understand how you feel about this, but like Ishizu said: It is better if we go."

"We can't go!", Malik said. "We love it here. It's the place where we were born. The place where... bad things have happened to us... where our life has been changed!"

"Where our parents died!", Marik added. "And where they are buried! We can't leave!"

Ishizu and Odion exchanged glances.

"But, boys...", Ishizu began. "You have to understand us. It's too dangerous for you to stay here. People will find out what you are some day or another."

"Ishizu, they won't find out. How should they? We're always careful", Malik said.

"I don't see the reason why we should change residence", Malik told his siblings.

"Please try to understand", Ishizu said. "Malik... Marik...", she looked at them.

Marik looked at Malik.

"It's because of this book, isn't it? That's the reason why you want to move", Marik said. Ishizu and Odion didn't answer.

"But Ishizu, Odion... You know that it is only a book and that the people think of it as a book, not... an encyclopedia. They think it isn't true and only we know that there is some truth in it", Malik said.

"Malik", Ishizu said. "I hope that people won't believe what the book says. But we can't be sure. The fact that people are interested in mystic creatures again, that they start reading about them and therefore know how these creatures, beings like you two, act or what they look like, should make us alert."

"But-", Marik began, but Odion interrupted him.

"Probably people won't see that inhuman beings exist because of you two, but you know that there are other creatures, and if one of them blows their cover, then people will begin to watch for details. And those details will probably tell them that you are not human", Odion explained. "Not anymore, that is...", he added lowly.

"And we don't know what would happen to you if they would find out... We don't want to lose you!", Ishizu told them, and tears filled up in her eyes. "You... please... understand", she said through sobs.

Marik and Malik exchanged glances before they rushed to her side and hugged her.

"Don't cry, sis", Malik said.

"We... will do what you think is best for us", Marik said. "And if that means that we have to change residence, we will."

Ishizu wiped away her tears. "Thanks, boys. It is only for your own good."

A moment of silence passed as the four Ishtars just looked at each other.

"Only one question", Marik said. "Where are we going?"

"Japan", Ishizu and Odion said at the same time.

Marik and Malik groaned.

"But... it's cold there!", Malik complained.

"Nearly everywhere it's colder than in Egypt", Odion told them. "And it's not as cold as you make it sound. The temperature depends on the region."

"And is it warm where we will live?", Malik asked.

Odion nodded. "Yes. Not as warm as in Egypt, but warm nevertheless. The only thing is that it rains there often."

Marik and Malik groaned again.

"You will get used to it", Ishizu said, smiling now.

"Hopefully", Marik mumbled.

Ishizu and Odion then left to pack the things they would take with them.

Marik and Malik looked at each other.

"What do you think?", Malik asked his brother. Marik shrugged.

"I don't know", Marik answered. "I just hate the fact that we have to leave mum and dad here..."

"Yeah... I hate that, too", Malik said.

"And do you know what they've forgotten to think about?", Marik asked. Malik shook his head.

"What if the people in Japan know the book, too? I mean, the book is known worldwide. What if the Japanese people are interested in mystic creatures, too? I don't see the difference between what will happen when we stay in Egypt and when we move to Japan", Marik told his twin brother.

"You're right", Malik said. "That means there's no reason to go away! We have to tell Ishizu and Odion."

Marik shook his head. "No", he sighed. "Remember... we have to listen to what they say. It was the last wish of our parents."

"Oh... yes. I almost forgot...", Malik said softly, his voice expressing how sad speaking of his dead parents really made him.

Marik sighed. "I guess we have to pack our things", he said and went upstairs to his room.

Malik remained alone in the cellar. He went to the door that was the last one in the hallway. Slowly, he walked through the door and up to two stones that stood at the end of the room... Gravestones.

He stared at them, and suddenly, he fell down on his knees., tears running down his face.

"I'm... sorry", he sobbed. "I... wish I could take you... with me... but... I'm afraid I can't..." He paused for a second. "We will leave... I... can't do anything against it... I'm sorry..."

Malik stopped and looked up as a hand was laid on his shoulder. Marik crouched next to him. He wiped away the tears of his brother.

"Don't cry...", Marik told his brother. "They will understand..."

Malik nodded. "I hope so."

"Come on", Marik said and the two boys stood up.

Soon, they would have to leave their beloved country, their home, their parents... They would go to Japan.

And nobody could know, what would await them there... what would happen there...

**--------------------------------------------------To be continued----------------------------------------------------------**

**Sorry for all Yugi and Yami fans that the two didn't appear in this chapter. But they will appear in the next one again.**

**I hope you liked this chapter. **

**So, now you know that Ryou and Bakura are vampires. Can you guess what Malik and Marik are? If not, you'll get to know that soon, I think. And don't worry, all questions that are brought up will be answered sooner or later. ^-^**

**Please tell me what you think about the chapter (story) and send me a review. :)**

**I'd be happy to hear from you.**

**~Crystal of Moonlight~**


	3. Chapter 2 Being there, arriving there

**Hello! Thanks for the reviews!**

**Sorry for the long time it took me to update this. I actually wanted to finish the chapter yesterday, but I didn't. But now the chapter is up and I hope you like it! ^-^**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!**

**Chapter 2 Being there, arriving there and setting off**

**-----------------------------------------------------------------------Yugi and Yami----------------------------------------------------------------------**

"Vampires are so cool!"

Yami clenched his fist under the table and was about to stand up and go, but Yugi grabbed Yami by his arm. The smaller one gave his taller look-alike a meaningful look and shook his head slowly, mouthing the words: 'Tea doesn't know it, remember...'

Yami took a deep breath and relaxed again. He closed his eyes, annoyed and a bit angry. Why couldn't people stop talking about vampires? What on earth was so stunning about them? He didn't like the fact that people thought, those beings were nice and friendly. Because they were everything but that! Vampires were cruel and only cared about themselves. They drank the blood of humans, for god's sake! How could creatures like them be 'cool'? Yami couldn't understand it... and he didn't _want_ to understand it either. It was just so... unbelievable that these humans thought about their enemies in that way when they could theoretical fall next victim for them (though Yami was sure that at least his friends and the other humans in this town wouldn't become the victim of one of those evil beings, as Yugi and he himself made sure as good as they could that no single inhuman creature came near one of them. But, of course, they couldn't have there eyes everywhere, so there were exceptions... Sadly...).

That Yami and Yugi felt uncomfortable about them talking about vampires like that, went unnoticed by their friends with whom Yami and Yugi sat together at their usual table in the corner of the cafeteria and talked.

"Nah, vampires aren't dat cool", a blonde boy, who looked rather rowdy, said. Yami tossed his arms mentally up, thanking the powers that be for at least one human who apparently had a correct working brain, though Yami was slightly surprised that Joey was the one who obviously had enough brains to not like evil in human beings.

"Yeah", a boy with brown hair, which pointed up at the ceiling in a strange way, agreed. "Joey is right, Tea. Werewolves are much cooler!"

"Ha!", Joey said and pointed with his index finger at Tea. "Listen ta what Tristan says! 'Cause he's right!" Okay, maybe Yami had jumped to the wrong conclusion. Werewolves were as bad as vampires. Yami sighed mentally. Seemingly none of their human friends knew how dangerous those creatures were and obviously they didn't care about their protection. Probably because they thought everything was just something like a fairy-tale. But that's what Yugi and Yami were here for, to protect those people from the evil beings out there in the darkness and shadows, lurking for easy prey.

"No way! You guys don't know what you say!", the brown haired girl, Tea, said. "Vampires!"

"Werewolves!", Joey and Tristan responded in unison.

"Vampires!"

Yugi and Yami merely watched them, not knowing what to say or what to do. The two of them seemed to be the only ones here (or all over the world!) who didn't like either of these beings. But only, because they knew more than other people, than the humans. Of course.

//If they would know...//, Yami thought and narrowed his eyes, annoyed by everything that his friends said. //... that those creatures really exist, then they wouldn't find them that cool.//

Yami looked at Yugi, who shrugged in a don't-mind-them-they-can't-know-way. Yami sighed and hoped that lunch time would soon be over, so that he wouldn't have to listen to Tea, Tristan and Joey's argument anymore. Everyday it was the same. Somehow, Yami and Yugi's friends always came to this issue.

"Whaddaya say, Yug?", Joey asked all of a sudden, bringing Yugi as well as Yami out of his thoughts.

"Huh?", Yugi asked, although he had understood the question. He just didn't know what he should answer.

"Do ya think dat vampires are best", Joey said and grimaced at the mentions of vampires. "Or do ya think dat werewolves are much better?"

"Uhm...", Yugi began. What should he say? Which of his enemies he liked more?! "I... I...", he stuttered, looking at Yami for help. But the taller tri-color haired boy didn't know either what Yugi should answer. Was it good to tell the others that he didn't like vampires and werewolves? After all, the whole world (all humans, that is) seemed to like at least one of those creatures a lot at the moment. So... was it a good idea to reveal that he didn't think like all the other humans? Would their friends get suspicious about that? Would they recognize that Yugi and Yami really weren't like all the other humans? That they weren't humans at all?

The school bell rang, saving Yugi and Yami from making a decision and the two boys were gone before their friends could get the answer they were waiting for.

"What was dat?", Joey asked, furrowing his brow and scratching the back of his head.

"I don't know...", Tristan mumbled.

"Perhaps they're in a hurry...", Tea suggested.

"Probably", Tristan said and then, he and the other two went to their next classes.

Meanwhile, Yugi and Yami walked to their classroom, weaving their way through the crowd in the hallways.

They stopped in front of the classroom.

"You know, Yami...", Yugi began. "I don't know what I should have said if the bell wouldn't have rung."

Yami nodded. "I don't know it either..."

For humans it may seem silly to bother about a simple question like this, like Yami and Yugi did. But small questions like these weren't as small and petty as they seemed. At least not for Yugi and Yami. It were those questions where the wrong answer could give them away. Yami and Yugi always had to think carefully what they would answer or else they would make the humans suspicious. And that shouldn't happen.

Sighing, Yugi and Yami went to their seats in the classroom. Sometimes, they had to be overly careful and it often wasn't as easy for them as it seemed.

......

After school, Yami and Yugi lay side by side on the grass in their garden, letting the warm sun rays shine on themselves.

"You know, Yami", Yugi said all of a sudden, breaking the silence that had been there up to now. "Somehow... I don't know why and I can't explain it really, because it's so strange and-"

"Yugi, stop rambling and tell me already", Yami interrupted him, seeing that Yugi wouldn't come to the point soon otherwise.

"Well... Somehow, I have a... bad feeling", Yugi told his taller look-alike and sat up.

Yami raised an eyebrow. "A bad feeling?", he asked and looked up at Yugi.

Yugi nodded. "Yeah."

Yami furrowed his brow. What did Yugi mean exactly? "Can you describe it?", he questioned.

Yugi sighed. "Not really. It's... just as if soon something would... change", Yugi tried to explain.

"Change?", Yami repeated.

"Yes... I don't know _what_ will change, but I have a bad feeling about it. I never had something like this before", Yugi said and let himself fall back on his back again with one smooth movement.

Yami pondered. Did this really mean something? After all, it was just a feeling. Did they have to worry about that?

"Yami, you don't have to bother your head about that now", Yugi told him as he had noticed Yami's thoughtful expression. "It's probably just like every other feeling, really."

Yami looked Yugi deep in the eyes, and then he forced a smile to appear on his face. "If you say so, little one", he grinned, though he actually didn't feel like grinning at all. But he didn't want to show his worries to Yugi.

Yugi rolled his eyes about the 'little one' comment, but smiled, too. "Believe me, Yami. We have nothing to worry about. Nothing new, anyway", Yugi said. "The feeling doesn't mean anything..."

"Of course not", Yami told him. "Because...", he said and turned so that he lay on his side, his arm stabilizing his position. "... As long as I am here..." He laid his arms around Yugi's neck. "Nothing bad will happen to you."

Yami leaned forward and gave Yugi a kiss on his forehead. "I promise."

Yugi blushed slightly, but smiled. He and Yami had been together for such a long time now and still were together of course, and he'd still not gotten used to all that.

Over and over again, Yami could surprise him with a simple kiss. Again and again, he could win another part of Yugi's heart for himself. And only for himself. Yugi didn't complain. Why should he? Therefore he loved Yami way too much. And he liked those surprises after all.

"You're my angel", Yami told him, stroking over Yugi's light pink cheek.

"Indeed. And you're mine", Yugi whispered softly, before Yami locked him in a passionate kiss.

**--------------------------------------------------------------Ryou and Bakura---------------------------------------------------------------**

After seemingly endless hours of driving (though they were by far not as long as eternity), which the two suspiciously pale boys had spent in their car, they arrived at their destination. It was dark outside, only some stars sparkling down from where they were located at the sky.

"We're there", Bakura announced. He had driven the whole way from England to the ferry that brought them to Japan and then from the ferry to the city they had reached now.

"Domino City?", Ryou asked as he could read the place-name sign despite the darkness. He was half excited about finally being there and half happy about having the ride behind him, as Bakura's driving style was... well, let's say special.

"Yeah, I chose this place, 'cause it's not too big and not too small", Bakura told him. Ryou had left it to Bakura to decide where they would live.

"And where do we live exactly?", Ryou asked. "Did you rent an apartment or a house?"

"A house", Bakura replied simply. Then, he looked Ryou deep in the eyes and smirked. If Ryou would be able to, he would have blushed because of the way Bakura stared at him. But he couldn't blush. Of course not. That's why his cheeks remained in their pale white color. Like always.

"Look at the street", Ryou told Bakura quickly, because he felt uncomfortable with Bakura staring at him.

Bakura laughed. "Why should I waste the time I could spend looking at you with looking at the street?", he asked, grinning broadly.

Ryou rolled his eyes. "Just to be safe", he replied.

"You know I don't have to look there", Bakura said. "I would see it early enough if I would have to stop so that I wouldn't drive over somebody."

"That may be true, but-"

"It_ is_ true, and you know it yourself, Ry", Bakura interrupted. "But if you simply don't like it if I'm looking at you, then..." He turned his head straight forward and watched Ryou out of the corner of his eye now.

Ryou sighed and shook his head. It was always the same with Bakura.

Moments of silence passed. Ryou looked out of the window and wondered what would await them here. Would it be like always? Because whenever they had changed residence, things wouldn't go as they were planned. There was always something that interfered. Well, almost always, anyway. What would it be this time? How long would they be able to stay here? Would these people here find out, too, that they were not like them? That they were vampires? Ryou and Bakura had to be very wary to not arouse suspicion. That had been hard all the while, but it was harder in times like this, when the people were interested in mystic creatures, when they knew what they looked like, when they knew too much. And among the mystic creatures, vampires were one of the top issues for the humans. And all this only because of a simple book! Who would have thought that the humans would believe in them again because of something like that? After they'd had some centuries quiet, why did people have to believe in them again now?

Ryou was frightened. Frightened that time would repeat itself. He didn't want all that to happen, what had happened in medieval times. Not again...

"Hey, we're there", Bakura announced after a while and brought Ryou out of his thoughts.

"Really?", Ryou asked and raised an eyebrow.

Bakura stopped the car in front of a small house. "Ta-da!", he said. "Welcome home!"

The two boys got out of the car, leaving their suitcases in it for the time being and walked to the front door.

"Do we even have a key?", Ryou asked. How should they come in without a key?

But Ryou's worries were without reason.

"Yeah", Bakura answered. "There should be one in the flower pot..." He went to the small colored pot and quickly pulled a key out of between the leaves of the plant. "Ah! There we go!"

Then, he unlocked the front door and he and Ryou stepped inside the house.

"Nice", Ryou said and stepped further into the hallway, not bothering to switch the lights on. His and Bakura's eyes were good enough to see in darkness as well as in brightness.

"I think it's okay", Bakura told him and switched the lights on so that neighbors, if they should watch them by any chance, wouldn't conceive suspicion. "It has everything we need."

Ryou inspected the living room and the kitchen, before he went upstairs to take a look at the bedrooms and bathrooms. All rooms were painted in light colors. That was nice.

He slumped down on the bed in one of the two bedrooms and closed his eyes to start thinking again.

But few seconds later, Ryou opened his eyes again, because he'd felt something touching his cheek. He looked sidewards. Bakura lay next to him on the bed, stroking Ryou's cheek gently.

Ryou sighed.

"What's on your mind, Ryou?", Bakura asked him and continued to stroke him.

Ryou shrugged. "Nothing...", he lied, but nobody would have believed him. And so did not Bakura.

"I don't believe you", Bakura told him and smirked. Ryou smiled. Especially Bakura knew when Ryou lied. They were together for such a long time now, they knew the other as well as themselves.

"I just wondered...", Ryou began. "What living here will be like. I hope people won't recognize what we really are."

Bakura nodded. "Hopefully, they don't even believe that creatures like us exist like the people in England. That would make it a lot easier."

Ryou agreed with Bakura.

After a while, Ryou closed his eyes again.

"Ryou?", Bakura asked, looking with his brow furrowed at the smaller white-haired boy.

"Hmm?", Ryou mumbled.

"What's wrong?"

"I want to sleep...", Ryou answered.

"We don't have to", Bakura reminded him, not understanding why Ryou always wanted to do that.

"But we are able to sleep. That's one of the things that this book was wrong about", Ryou countered. "And as we can sleep, I want to, because I like sleeping, so let me sleep."

"Don't you want to explore the surroundings and eat something?", Bakura asked. "Last meal is long ago..."

Ryou frowned. "No. I don't want to eat something and much less if it's your kind of food. Now let me sleep." He turned round so that he lay on his side, his back facing Bakura.

Bakura laid an arm around Ryou's waist. "Maybe you wanna sleep with me?", he asked, grinning and shoved his hand under Ryou's shirt and stroked his back.

"Not now, 'Kura", Ryou mumbled. He really wasn't in the mood for that. And actually Ryou was hungry, but he didn't want to eat something this night. That had to wait. Right now, he wanted to relax from the stress and worries that bothered him.

But before Ryou could struggle, Bakura had turned him round and took Ryou's face in his hands. He placed a kiss on the smaller one's forehead. Then, he looked him in the eyes. Black eyes with a heavy red cast stared into chocolate brown ones that had only a light red cast.

Ryou couldn't think clearly as Bakura's sweet scent surrounded him, befuddled him. Suddenly, Bakura's lips were pressed on Ryou's and Bakura's hands were buried in Ryou's white mane, pushing the smaller boy closer to the taller one. Bakura licked over Ryou's lip, asking for entrance, but Ryou hadn't joked as he'd said that he didn't feel like doing it this night. He pushed Bakura gently away and gave him an apologizing smile.

"I meant it... Not this night", he said and kissed Bakura's cheek. Then, Ryou turned around again and shut his eyes.

Bakura looked at Ryou, whose hair and back now faced him. Somehow, deep down in the pit of his stomach, Bakura had a bad feeling. Something in his mind told him something he didn't want to hear. The reason why Ryou didn't feel like doing it more often than not.

_He doesn't love you..._ The voice inside his head told him.

//Shut up//, he thought and leaned forward so that his lips touched Ryou's ear. He would ask his lover.

"Ryou", he whispered. Was the smaller one already asleep?

"Hmm...?", Ryou responded, his voice muffled by the pillow.

"Do you love me?", Bakura asked.

"Hmm...", Ryou replied.

Could this count as an answer? Bakura decided it could, so he smiled.

//I knew it//, he thought, though the bad feeling in the pit of his stomach didn't leave.

Carefully, Bakura climbed out of the bed and walked out of the room. At the doorframe, he stopped and looked again at the sleeping form.

He knew Ryou didn't sleep because he wanted to. He slept because he wanted to be more human. Sad? Maybe...

Bakura sighed and went downstairs. He brought the suitcases inside the house and then, he left the house for a walk. And maybe a little snack...

Meanwhile, Ryou lay in the bed, half asleep. He was thinking again. Thinking about the answer he'd given Bakura. He'd told him that he loved him... But... Did he really love him?

Ryou wasn't really sure about that. He and Bakura had been together so long now. It was more like he had to love him. He knew so much about Bakura, more than everyone else in the world. And he didn't know what he'd do if Bakura wouldn't be with him anymore. If he would leave... Ryou had no one besides him. Bakura was the only one who was left. They understood each other mostly, they were only of a different opinion if it was about their way of life.

But did they love each other? Bakura surely loved him, Ryou was sure, but did he love Bakura?

Ryou couldn't tell. He would have to see...

A little later, he was asleep, dreaming of nothing because he couldn't dream...

**----------------------------------------------------------Malik and Marik-------------------------------------------------------------**

"Is everything on board?", Odion asked.

Malik, Marik and Ishizu nodded.

"Then let's go!", Odion said, and the small ship that should bring them to Japan took off.

Ishizu went inside with Odion, Malik and Marik stayed outside. They stood at the stern of the ship and watched their beloved country getting smaller and smaller the more they got away from it. The sun shined down on them, and the water of the Red Sea was clear blue, but already turning light red at some places because of the setting of the sun.

Marik looked worried at his brother who leaned onto the railing. Malik was so quiet. He hadn't spoken for hours. That was not normal.

"Malik, are you alright?", Marik asked.

Malik merely shrugged.

"Come on, tell me what's on your mind", Marik demanded and positioned himself next to his brother. He was tired of Malik's silence.

Malik sighed and looked at his brother. In the corner of Malik's eyes were tears.

"I don't want to leave them behind...", he mumbled. Marik just looked at him for a moment, before he said something.

"I don't want to do it either. None of us wants to do that", Marik told him. "But what choice do we have? It's for our own good."

"They're our parents. We can't leave them there. They died for us, Marik!", Malik said upset. "They died... for us... and it was senseless. They shouldn't have made a deal with a werewolf, Marik... They should have known better. Then Ishizu and Odion would still have parents and we would be at their place up there... "

"Maybe or maybe not. But it doesn't matter now. This was years ago, Malik. I wished it wouldn't have happened, but you know we can't do anything about that", Marik said. "All we can do is live, with the effects of what had happened when mother and father had died. They wanted us to live. And... we still live. Just not a normal life, but we live. And we have to do what's for our own good if we want to do what mother and father wanted us to do."

Malik sighed. "I know...", he muttered. "It's just so... hard, to leave them here. We probably never see their grave again."

Marik nodded. "Probably not", he agreed. Then, he sighed and went inside, too, leaving Malik alone on deck.

Malik stared down into the water and started to think.

Sometimes, Marik could be a real psycho. Surely, the people in Egypt were glad that he was gone. But that was only because they didn't know his other side, his kind side. The side, he only showed to Malik and occasionally Ishizu and Odion.

Marik was the only one, who always understood Malik if something was wrong. Perhaps it was because they were twins, perhaps it was because they bore the same misery. Or maybe it were both factors.

Malik stood on deck until the sun had made way for the moon completely and he wondered as he went inside, if the idea of moving to Japan was really a good idea or if it would only bring harm.

They would just have to see...

**--------------------------------------------To be continued------------------------------------------------**

**So, that was chapter 2. I hope you liked it. I know, Malik was somewhat whiny in this chapter, but that's only because he's so sad about having to leave their dead parents behind.**

**And now you know who is what, do you?**

**What did you think? Please tell me! I always want to hear what you readers think. And if there are mistakes, please tell me! I'd be really happy if I'd get more reviews. Then it would probably not take me so long to write the next chapter. **

**I hope to hear from you, readers! And if I get many reviews, I'll update soon, okay?**

**~Crystal of Moonlight~**


	4. Chapter 3 Tensions

**Sooooooooooo... this is chapter 3. I hope you like it. ^-^**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!**

**Chapter 3 Tensions**

**----------------------------------------------Ryou and Bakura---------------------------------------------**

As Ryou awoke, tenuous light of the rising sun shone through the window of his bedroom, giving his skin a slight gleam where it touched the pale boy.

Ryou's face was buried in his pillow and his white mane was ruffled from tossing and turning in bed. Yes, vampires were able to sleep, but nobody had said that it was that easy. Constantly, Ryou had woken up and going back to sleep then was difficult for him as he wasn't tired. Of course not. He would never feel again how it was to be tired. Never... He wasn't even sure anymore how it felt to be tired. And the worries he still had hadn't helped him either to fall asleep again.

Sighing, Ryou turned around and looked up at the ceiling. How often had he already tried to sleep like a normal human in the past? Too often. And his sleep had never been like a human's one. He didn't even know anymore how it was to sleep like a human. It was too long ago...

Some time, Ryou would have to realize that vampires simply weren't made for sleeping. But even if he'd realize it, he surely would want to do it nevertheless. He would never accept with pleasure what he was. No, he would always try to be a human. Always, though it was really difficult sometimes and it got even harder the longer he already was a vampire.

After a while, Ryou stood up and walked to the window. He liked this time of the day, when the sky was colored in this beautiful color. Sometimes it was orange, sometimes rose. Everything was quiet, you could only hear the chirping of the birds.

And then it crossed his mind. Everything was _too_ quiet. Ryou hold his breath and listened if there was any sound in the house. ... No, nothing could be heard.

That could only mean one thing. Bakura wasn't at home.

"Maybe he's just gone for a short walk...", Ryou muttered to himself, but in truth he knew why Bakura was out. Not to explore the surroundings of their new home or to go for some fresh air, no, surely not. Bakura was out to hunt.

Ryou closed his eyes and tried to stop imagining the picture of Bakura hunting. Not because of the hunting itself, but because of Bakura's prey. Not animals... but humans...

Ryou would never understand why Bakura hunted them. Ryou himself would never be able to do it. Never. And that was good, because he didn't want to do it. Even if Bakura said it wasn't good. Ryou didn't have to listen to him.

Shaking off those thoughts, Ryou went downstairs and noticed that Bakura had brought the suitcases into the living room before he'd left. Slowly, Ryou went to his the suitcases and opened one of them. Then, he sat down on the floor and looked at the things that were in the suitcase.

Bakura and Ryou had only taken the most important things with them, like always when they changed residence. Some memorabilia and clothes of course. But not too much, because first of all they had to leave quickly and there wasn't enough space in the car to take everything with them and secondly if they needed anything, they could just buy it here. Money was no object, as they had enough of it. It simply had bottled up over time. But they didn't show people that they were rich, because they didn't want to attract too much attention.

Ryou rummaged in the suitcase. Clothes, clothes... and then he found what he searched for. A photo. A photo of him and Bakura. The _only_ photo of him and Bakura they had. On the picture, Bakura sat on a chair and Ryou sat on his lap. The photo was really old and black and white. It was one of the first ones there had been taken.

Ryou stroke carefully with his index finger over the Bakura on the picture, who looked exactly like the one today, besides that he was dressed in really old clothes on the photo. And of course, Ryou wore old clothes, too.

The photo had been taken in 1851 on a special day. On Ryou's special day. No, not his birthday.

Ryou turned the picture round. On the back of it, there was written something in a scratchy handwriting.

_For Ryou, my love, _

_to the three-hundredth anniversary of his death._

_~Bakura_

_5__th__ September, 1851_

Ryou smiled as he read what Bakura had written for him back then. He remembered how nervous he'd been when they'd gone to the photographer....

_*flashback*_

"_Where are we going, Bakura?", Ryou asked the boy that looked so similar to him while they walked side by side along the street._

_Bakura flashed a smile. "You'll see soon enough", he answered softly._

_Ryou sighed, but nodded. Bakura always tried to make a secret out of everything. And besides, he was so unpredictable. One moment, he was friendly to Ryou and the next moment, he wasn't anymore..._

_After while, Bakura stopped. _

"_Are we there?", Ryou asked him._

_Bakura pointed to a sign that hung at the house on the opposite side of the street. _

"_Ph-Photographer...?!", Ryou stuttered, nervousness coming up and thoughts of what could possibly go wrong._

_Bakura groaned. "Stop being so fearful all the time. There's no reason for that", Bakura told him. "So, come on, this will be fun."_

"_But... but...", Ryou stumbled. "What if... we can't be seen on the photo?! That will give away that we're not human!", he said the last words so low that no human was able to hear it. "What will happen then?"_

_Bakura sighed. Sure, he knew, too, that there was a risk. And Ryou's worrying wasn't unjustified. But Bakura hated it that he always expected the worst. Hell, if something should go wrong, Bakura knew exactly what he had to do. //If I have to, I'll kill the photographer...//, he thought as an answer to Ryou's question and narrowed his eyes. He and Ryou were after all the vampires. If any mortal should become suspicious, then it was easy for the two to get rid of them (though Ryou would probably not agree with Bakura...). But he didn't want Ryou to know his plan if they really couldn't be seen on the photo._

"_If we can't be seen on the photo, then we'll tell the photographer that his apparatus isn't working, okay?", Bakura told Ryou. "This photo thing is still new, after all, so why should there be no defect or something?"_

_Ryou pondered for a moment, before he was pulled over the street by Bakura, who didn't want to wait any longer. "Come on", he said, as he grabbed Ryou's hand. Patience had never been one of Bakura's strong points._

"_If I have to...", Ryou mumbled. After all, Bakura always knew what they could do and what not, so that they wouldn't take a too much of a risk. He was a vampire for millennia now, anyway, so Ryou trusted him with the things he did, mostly at any rate._

_...._

_After the photo had been taken, Ryou and Bakura had headed home. There had been no murder this day, because everything had worked. Both Ryou and Bakura could be seen on the photo. Ryou was really relieved. His worries had been, as usual, for nothing._

_Ryou stood at the window of his bedroom, looking out and watching the people walking along the street, while Bakura had disappeared with the photo in his room._

_After a while, a soft knock sounded and Bakura came into Ryou's bedroom, smiling. It wasn't one of his evil smiles, that he usually wore. No, it was one of the kind smiles that he showed very rare._

_Ryou raised an eyebrow at his taller look-alike._

"_Ryou?", Bakura asked, his voice not cold for once, but friendly, like his smile. "You know what day's today, do you?"_

_Oh... Ryou looked down at the floor. Of course he knew what day it was. How could he forget?_

"_Sure", he answered Bakura's question. "Three-hundred years ago... you...", he trailed off, having a strange feeling inside of him. Was it sadness? Was it because of the horrible memory?_

"_Yes, Ry", Bakura said. "Three-hundred years ago, I bit you." //And, as sad as you may be about that... I don't regret anything//, he added as a thought._

_Ryou nodded, still looking down at the floor. He couldn't understand why Bakura sounded so happy at the mention of that. Ryou... would never feel happy at remembering that day... _

"_Here", Bakura said and reached his hand out, the photo in it. "Because... you've been bearing me for such a long time now... without going crazy", he explained._

_Ryou looked up into the other's dark eyes. A look of confusion made it's way on the smaller boy's face as he took the picture. Bakura had never given a present to him before._

"_Turn it round", Bakura ordered._

_Ryou turned the picture round and read what was written on it's back._

"_But Baku-", his response was interrupted as Bakura pressed his pale lips on the boy's ones, locking him in a kiss. As they broke apart, Bakura laid a finger on Ryou's mouth to show him to be quiet._

"_I know what you think", he told Ryou. "I know that there's a risk of possessing the photo and if any time anybody should read the text on the back, then we're given away, somehow. But", he paused for a moment. "If we pay attention, then nobody will find it, okay?"_

_Ryou nodded. "Okay", he breathed, pressing the photo against his chest... _

Ryou didn't know why he liked the photo so much. Maybe because it was a memory of the time back then. Maybe because it was a present from Bakura. He couldn't tell.

Two hundred years had gone by since then. And many things had changed. The humans had changed, their way of living, their belief, their nature. But those things weren't the only ones that were different now. Bakura had also changed. Ryou had changed. Their relationship had changed. Why? Ryou didn't know it exactly. Maybe... because of himself. Because he always had doubts and was unsure... about everything. His life... The humans... Bakura... Their love...

//If there ever had been love...//, he thought bitterly.

Just as Ryou put the photo back into the suitcase again, he heard the sound of footfalls. And a split second later, the front door opened. An air draft brought a familiar smell inside, that made Ryou's stomach tense up as it hit him all of a sudden.

Ryou immediately held his breath, his eyes were wide and he knew exactly without turning round who was standing in the doorframe. Bakura.

"Where have you been?", Ryou asked, though it was obvious due to the smell of blood, which hung in the air, what Bakura had been doing. The smaller pale boy clenched his fists to stop the tension that built up in his whole body.

"I was out. Eating", Bakura replied simply and closed the door behind him.

As Bakura approached, Ryou still chose not to breath at the moment and he closed his eyes, as he didn't want to look Bakura into the eyes. They surely were crimson, his eyes. An obvious signal that human blood flowed through Bakura.

When Bakura noticed Ryou's tensioning, he smirked.

"Well, well. Someone's hungry, huh?", he sneered and crouched down next to where Ryou kneeled on the floor. "I told you to come with me last night, but nooo..."

Ryou ignored him.

"How long ago since your last meal?", Bakura asked, grinning evilly. "Two weeks? Three weeks? Or even longer ago?" It was Ryou's own fault. It had been his decision to not eat anything that long.

Ryou clenched his fists tighter and stood up, tired of Bakura's attempt to freak him out. It had worked before, but it wouldn't work today. At least he thought that until now...

As Ryou stood up, Bakura stood up as well, holding to the smaller boy's shoulders with one hand, and shoving the other hand under Ryou's shirt.

Ryou gasped at the sudden touch and forgot to hold his breath. A big mistake...

As soon as air got into his nose and a rusty scent, which was coming from Bakura, got into it, Ryou felt as if he was befuddled. He couldn't think clearly. His instincts were calling... calling for what a vampire needed most.

Blood.

It had been too long ago since his last meal, Ryou knew that. His throat ached and it felt as if it was burning from inside.

The smaller boy turned round, a thirsty look on his face, and grabbed hold of Bakura's arm, facing the other for the first time since he'd come back home.

Ryou's eyes stared into crimson ones and the mere look at Bakura's blood-red eyes made his throat ache more, crying for something to slake his thirst.

Bakura raised an eyebrow looking at Ryou. Then, he smirked and breathed on Ryou, forcing the smaller pale boy to inhale his bloody smelling breath.

Ryou's eyes widened, the burning sensation in his throat got worse and his stomach tensed up tighter with hunger (or/and thirst).

"Not... fair...", he managed to say through gritted teeth.

Bakura smirked. "I've never said that I would ever play fair", he told him.

Ryou leaned forward until his lips reached Bakura's face, on which the bloody smell adhered.

Blood... that was what Ryou needed right now more than everything else...

Bakura grinned as Ryou's pale lips wandered to his own ones. He buried his hands in Ryou's hair and pushed the smaller one closer to him.

Ryou, whose instincts were working instead of his mind at the moment, licked over Bakura's lower lip, and he tasted blood. Delicious blood, still a bit warm, having a sweet rusty taste. But this action somehow caused Ryou to snap out of the stupor of his mind.

//Stop!//, he shouted mentally. //Blood... human... blood...//

As soon as he came back to his senses, Ryou pushed Bakura away and stumbled backwards a few steps, his eyes even wider than before. He stared at Bakura, who was grinning.

"You... did it again!", Ryou mumbled. "I thought you'd promised me that you'd never tempt me to taste human blood ever again!"

Bakura rolled his eyes. "Come on... In truth you've never killed a human and you've never drunk human blood. You've only licked it off my lips..."

Ryou growled. "Maybe it's not a big deal for you, but for me, it is! I trusted you! I can't believe that you did it again and that you're still not respecting the choice I've made since the first day of my being as a vampire!", Ryou yelled. "I don't _want_ to drink the blood of humans! It grosses me out!"

For a moment, there was silence.

"I don't understand why you can't respect my will...", Ryou muttered. "Are you not able to respect my will or do you simply not want to respect it?"

Bakura just looked at Ryou. "Ry, we're vampires! Drinking the blood of humans is what we do! It's our nature. You can't condemn me because I do what I am supposed to do."

"Nature....", Ryou repeated. "Nature my ass! And I don't condemn you! It's your decision to kill all those innocent people! If you can square it with your conscience, then okay. I wished I could do something to change your mind, but I can't. But I won't follow your example, because I am not a murderer."

Bakura narrowed his eyes dangerously. "So you think of me as a murderer?"

Ryou looked at the floor. "Well... yeah", he whispered. "'Cause you kill humans..."

"I am not a murderer!", Bakura snarled. "You don't call a lion that hunts an antelope a murderer, do you? Because it's something natural. The lion eats the antelope to survive. And I have to drink the blood of humans to survive."

"It's not necessary", Ryou said. "You could hunt animals, like me..."

"As if I would ever do something like that... They're blood is... dirty!", Bakura spat.

"It's not!", Ryou shouted. "I drink it! And I'm not different than you."

"Yes, you are", Bakura said, his crimson eyes piercing Ryou. "You're much weaker than I am. You're... almost as pathetic as all these humans. And I don't want to be like that."

"What?!", Ryou gasped. How could Bakura say something like that? It hurt...

Bakura crossed his arms, a grin finding its way on his face. "But, honestly... You did enjoy the taste of the blood, didn't you?"

Ryou stared at him in disbelief. "No!", he shouted, though he had to admit to himself that Bakura was right. The taste and the scent of human blood... they were overwhelming. There wasn't anything Ryou could do about that.

"Liar", Bakura grinned.

Ryou narrowed his eyes and stormed past Bakura.

"Asshole", Ryou whispered and then, he went upstairs into his room, slamming the door behind him.

Bakura was left alone in the living room, looking in the direction where Ryou had disappeared. His grin faded, as he began to think. For the first time, he started to put one and one together.

Maybe, it was his own fault that Ryou probably didn't love him anymore. Perhaps because he always tempted Ryou to drink the blood of humans... Perhaps because he always was so... mean and unfair...

Bakura fell down on his knees and tore his hair. He loved Ryou, damn it! Why was he always like this to the one he loved? Why couldn't he show him how much he loved him? Why?

//Well... that's probably not my nature...//, he thought.

And Bakura was sure about one thing. As long as it wasn't too late, then he would have to change... or at least try if he wanted to show Ryou that he loved him.

Meanwhile, Ryou changed his clothes. Now he was really thirsty, because of Bakura. He couldn't wait any longer with hunting. Quickly, Ryou opened his bedroom window and with one swift movement, he jumped through it and landed gently on the grass at the back of the house. With an incredible speed, he ran towards the nearby forest, where he would hunt.

**~The next day~**

The rest of yesterday, Ryou and Bakura had spent without talking to each other. Ryou had locked himself in his room all day and Bakura had started to unpack the suitcases and place everything in. He hoped, that Ryou would forgive him soon. This wasn't a good start for living in a new city. No, definitely not. But maybe distancing themselves from each other for a while wasn't that bad... It could help them to learn to love each other again. That's at least what Bakura thought or hoped.

As Ryou came out of his room this rainy Friday morning, dressed in a white shirt and a blue pair of jeans, a bag hanging across his shoulder, Bakura was puzzled.

He cleared his throat. "Are you going anywhere?", he asked.

Ryou closed his eyes and went past him to the front door. There, he stopped. "I'm going to school... As you complained so much about having to go to school the last time when we'd moved to England, I thought you surely would be happy if you could stay at home", Ryou said without facing Bakura. "So... enjoy your day. I'm going to school without you."

Bakura wanted to say something. "Ryou, wait, I-" But Ryou was already out of the door, heading off to school alone.

Sighing, Bakura slumped down on the couch.

In the meantime, Ryou went to school on foot. He was still angry at Bakura and he intended to be angry at him for a little longer.

A little later, Ryou arrived at Domino High School. There weren't many people here as it was only twenty past seven and school would begin in over half an hour. Sighing, Ryou headed for the school office to sign up for school. He didn't know, if he could already attend classes today, but it was at least worth a try.

The school wasn't that big, and Ryou found the office easily. He took a deep breath, before knocking at the wooden door.

As he received an answer from inside of the room, Ryou entered.

When the secretary laid eyes on Ryou, she blinked a few times and then, she had a strange expression on her face. Ryou groaned mentally. He'd almost forgotten that. People always liked to stare at him when they saw him for the first time. Though most of the humans always stared at him, no matter how long they knew him. He should be used to that by now. But he wasn't.

"C-can I h-help you?", the secretary stuttered, obviously unable to think clear with Ryou in the same room.

Ryou put on a friendly smile. "Hello. My name is Bakura Ryou. I'm new in town and I'd like to sign up at this school", he said.

The secretary looked dazed at him and it took her a few moments to realize that Ryou had stopped talking already. She cleared her throat.

"Oh, uhm... Sure you can sign up", she told him. "We just have to fill in some forms and then, you can start."

"Great", Ryou said and he began to fill in the forms. After he'd visited so much schools, he was used to that by now.

As everything was filled in and Ryou had gotten a schedule, it was just five past eight, what meant that school had already begun.

The secretary led him to his first classroom. She knocked and asked the teacher to come out for a moment.

"Mrs. Hanimato", the secretary began. "This is Bakura Ryou. He is new in town and has just signed up for school."

"Ah", the teacher, Mrs. Hanimato said. "A new student. Great. Come with me. Don't worry, the other students are friendly. I'm sure you'll find a lot of friends soon."

Ryou merely nodded. He wished Bakura would be with him right now. But that he wasn't here was Ryou's fault. He had told him to stay at home this time.

The secretary left and the teacher went back into the classroom. Ryou waited in front of the door.

"Listen, class", Mrs. Hanimato said. "We've got a new student today. Please be nice. His name is Bakura Ryou."

That was Ryou's cue. After taking a deep breath, he opened the door and stepped into the classroom. He had a strange feeling when he stood in front of the class. Something in this class was... different than normally. Something was wrong here...

But what?

**----------------------------------------------To be continued--------------------------------------------**

***gasp* A whole Ryou and Bakura chapter!**

**I'm sorry that there are only these two in this chapter, but I thought this was a good place to end the chapter and if I would also have written something about Yami and Yugi or Malik and Marik, the chapter would've become to long. You'll see the others in the next chapter again, I promise. ^-^**

**Well, what do you think is wrong in the class Ryou just went into? Guess!**

**And can you calculate how old Ryou is? What do you think about Bakura's behavior? Tell me!**

**And what do you think about the chapter? I hope I didn't confuse you too much. I personally don't like the chapter as much as I liked the other ones. It's okay, I guess, but not super or something. But if you liked it, then that's great and I'm very happy. :)**

**It would be great if you would review! Tell me what you think about the chapter, because I really need to know that. And if there are grammar mistakes, please tell me!**

**See you next chapter (or if you review then see you already earlier ^-^).**

**~Crystal of Moonlight~**


	5. Chapter 4 The new student

**Hello! ^-^**

**Thank you so much for all the reviews! They always make me very happy!**

**I'm sorry that it took me a little longer than usually to write this chapter. Please, forgive me. ^^ I made this chapter a little longer than the last one, as an excuse.**

**And thanks **_**ki-chan**_** and **_**siberia the monkey **_**for the anonymous reviews (I can't reply to them, that's why I do it here^^). And **_**siberia the monkey**_**: Yes, Malik and Marik are werewolves and Yugi and Yami are angels. You'll get to know more as the story proceeds. **

**Okay, now enjoy the chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!**

**Chapter 4 The new student**

**----------------------------------------------Yugi and Yami---------------------------------------------**

"Yami!", Yugi called from downstairs, where he stood together with Joey, Tristan and Tea. They all were waiting for Yami to come down so that they could go to school. "Yami! Hurry up! The others are already there!"

Upstairs, Yami lay on his bed, staring up at the ceiling, and sighed.

//Why do we have to go to school?//, he thought.

Normally, Yami didn't complain about having to go to school, because getting an education did no harm, but at the moment he really hated being there. Everything his fellow students and his friends talked about were vampires and werewolves. Yami frowned at the mere thought of those creatures, his enemies, the beings he hated the most... And the humans didn't only talk about those creatures and how cool they were (though Yami couldn't understand what was cool about them. Seriously, what was cool about a creature that drank your blood or ripped you in pieces?), no, the humans even argued about which of them was better! Better! As if you could mention that word in the same breath as those creatures.

Yami could only shake his head about all that. It seemed to him as if people argued about which way to die was better. 'Oh, dying from being sucked is much better than being ripped into tiny little pieces.' Yeah... like that it sounded at least for Yami, as the humans somehow seemed to prefer vampires.

Yami preferred none of them. Both creatures were evil, both beings were murderers.

And a murder remains a murder, no matter how it was committed, there was no difference.

And what Yami also hated was the fact, that the humans didn't realize the danger vampires and werewolves were. But only because they didn't know that those beings really existed. Yami didn't know if that was an advantage or not...

"Yami!", Yugi shouted again, annoyed that his taller look-alike didn't hurry. He knew what bothered Yami, but he couldn't do anything against it. This was certainly just a short phase the humans had and in several weeks nobody would talk about vampires, werewolves and the like anymore. Yugi hoped so, that is.

Yami groaned, but stood up. He didn't want to make Yugi angry. "Yeah, yeah... I'm coming, I'm coming...", he said and went downstairs.

"About time", Yugi muttered, his arms crossed over his chest and a slightly frowned expression on his face as Yami went to where he and the others stood.

"Hey, guys", Yami mumbled unenthusiastically.

Yugi gave him a look and elbowed him lightly, unseen by their friends. They were angels after all and one of their jobs was to spread happiness, what meant that they had to be happy, too, or at least act like they were so that this would work. Their presence had to give the humans a feeling of comfort, a feeling of safety. As if there was nothing bad out there that would do them any harm.

That was probably the hardest part of being an angel, at least for Yami and Yugi. Because out there, there were evil creatures. They lurked everywhere and were a great danger to everyone. They were the main reason for all those unsolved murders and disappearances. For most of them anyway. Every second, an evil being threatened the life of an innocent human, and then Yami and Yugi should act in front of the humans as if there was nothing evil on earth?!

Yes, sure, the humans shouldn't know that beings like angels and vampires really existed, but sometimes Yami wished they would know it, so that they would at least stop talking about vampires and werewolves and all those other evil creatures as if they were good beings. Because they weren't.

On the other side, Yami should be glad that the humans didn't know it, because that would probably cause only more trouble. The humans would panic and have hysterics. And if they'd know that there were vampires and such things, they would also know that angels existed. And Yami and Yugi would not be able to live an almost normal life anymore. The humans would do God-knows-what.

Yami merely sighed. Certainly, there were reasons for everything to be like it was. As complicated and difficult some things might sound.

"Hi Yami", Joey, Tea and Tristan greeted him.

"What's up, pal?", Joey asked. "You seem a little bit annoyed. What's eating ya?"

Yami put on a fake smile before he answered. "Nothing. I'm okay, I just... slept bad, I guess..."

That was always a good excuse, because it didn't make the humans suspicious as it was something human.

"Well, ya ready ta go ta school then?", Joey asked.

//No, not really//, Yami thought. He didn't want to go to the place where everything people talked about were his enemies. But what choice did he have? "Sure", he answered. At least it was already Friday, so he wouldn't have to listen to people talking about his enemies for two days.

"Then let's go or else we'll be late", Yugi told them.

Yami grabbed his bag and closed the front door behind him before they headed for school.

They walked for a while, talking and making plans for the upcoming weekend.

//Certainly, they'll soon start again...//, Yami thought and wondered how long it would take his friends to change the subject to vampires and werewolves (again).

"Hey, what about going to the cinema this evening?", Tea asked her friends.

"Depends on which movie you wanna go in", Tristan told her.

"Well, there's this new horror movie in the cinema", Tea explained.

"Are there werewolves in it by any chance?", Joey asked curiously.

"Yeah", Tea answered and nodded. "And vampires."

There! Yami knew it. Every conversation they had would come to vampires or werewolves (or both) sooner or later.

"Cool!", Joey and Tristan exclaimed in unison with shining eyes.

"We have ta see that movie!", Joey said, excited.

"What do you think, Yugi, Yami?", Tea asked them and looked at them.

"Uhm...", Yugi looked at Yami. "I don't know..."

"Come on, it'll be great since there are vampires and werewolves in it!", Tristan said.

"That may be true", Yami told his friends. "But... Yugi and I... we already have plans for tonight", he invented quickly. "Right, Yugi?" Yami gave his smaller look-alike a look that clearly said: 'Say yes'.

Yugi understood and nodded quickly. "Yeah. I forgot", he mumbled.

"Oh, that's too bad", Tea said. "Maybe we should see the movie tomorrow..."

"No, no. You three go to the cinema this evening and have fun. Besides, I don't like horror movies too much and I think Yugi doesn't like them either", Yami told her. Yugi nodded, to show that Yami was right.

"Oh, well. If you say so", Tea muttered. "The five of us can go to the cinema into another movie on another day then, I guess."

Yami nodded and smiled. "Of course."

He would go with his friends to the cinema. As long as they wouldn't talk about vampires and other similar beings and as long as the movie wouldn't be about those creatures, if that was at all possible at the moment, then he would go with them.

A little later, the five of them arrived at school. There, the group separated and went to their classes. Yugi and Yami walked together to their lockers, which were almost next to each other.

Yami leaned against his locker, closed his eyes and sighed. That made Yugi look up from where he was crouching in front of his locker.

"What's wrong, Yami?", Yugi asked, worry audible in his voice.

"It's just... When do you think will they finally stop talking about vampires and werewolves?", Yami asked the smaller boy and looked at him. "Eight weeks. For eight weeks all people here are talking about nothing but vampires and werewolves..."

"I know, Yami", Yugi said and took the books he needed out of his locker. Then, he stood up and closed it. "But there is nothing we can do about that. We just have to wait until they stop and everything is gone back to normal."

"But...", Yami said and sighed again. "I mean... It wouldn't annoy me that much if it were other mystic creatures, like... fairies, they would talk about, but noooo, they have to talk about the worst creatures there are!"

Yugi merely shrugged. "The humans mean no harm when they talk about those beings. It's juts something like a... trend."

"Trend?", Yami repeated. A trend?! Like, a fashion trend, or what?

"Uh-huh", Yugi nodded. "They're just interested in it at the moment and, believe me, soon they'll have forgotten about it."

"But Yugi", Yami began and put his hands on Yugi's shoulders. "Remember the conversation we had... Monday, I think? I'm not only annoyed about the fact that the humans seem to 'love' those creatures. I'm also worried, as much as you were when we had that conversation, about the slight chance that people could find out that those inhuman beings, like ourselves, really exist, that they could find out what we really are." Yami's voice was only a mere whisper by now as he looked Yugi deep in his amethyst eyes.

"I'm still worried that they could find out, Yami", Yugi told him low-voiced and leaned his head against Yami's chest. "I don't want to imagine what would happen then..."

"I don't want to imagine that either...", Yami mumbled and pressed Yugi's head more against his chest.

They stood there for a while, silent, each of them thinking for himself. Suddenly, the school bell rang.

Yugi sighed. "Well, I think I have to go now... History...", he said and wrapped his arms around Yami's neck. Gently, he pushed Yami's head slightly down and gave him a fleeting kiss on his cheek. "See you later!", Yugi said before he disappeared around the corner, leaving Yami alone in the hallway.

For a while, Yami looked in the direction of where Yugi had disappeared, before he went to his first class, too.

Meanwhile, Yugi arrived at the history classroom. Quickly, he sat down on his seat in the back of the classroom.

He liked sitting here, because his classmates couldn't stare at him all too easily, though the times they had stared at him the whole time had almost passed by. But only almost. He wasn't the interesting, beautiful new boy anymore as both Yami and he had been when they'd been new at Domino High about three years ago. Back then, their fellow students had always followed them wherever they'd gone, especially the girls. Yami had been really annoyed after a while (though he didn't show it to those girls). Instead he and Yugi had made it quickly clear that they didn't have the hots for girls, that they were a couple already.

_*flashback*_

"_Yami! Yugi!"_

_Yami groaned mentally as he heard her. Vivian Wong. One of the many girls that followed him and Yugi at every turn since they'd come to this school. The two spiky haired boys knew that the attraction the humans felt for them was because of the fact that they were angels and that humans always felt attracted towards them. But this knowledge didn't change the matter of fact that Yami was annoyed by now. They attended this school for almost four weeks now, and the girls still kept asking them to go out with them although Yami and Yugi had told them more than once that they didn't want to. The two angels had attended many schools and it had never taken the people so long to get used to them. _

_Yami and Yugi usually kept it a secret that they were gay and a couple, because they thought this would only bring trouble, but maybe they should make an exception at this school, as they didn't know what else would the girls stop from bugging them all the time._

"_Hey!", Vivian said as she arrived next to Yami and Yugi. _

"_What is it, Vivian?", Yugi asked politely. He didn't like Vivian at all. She was only after him because of his looks._

"_Well, Yugi, I just wondered if you would want to go out with me", she explained and smiled._

_Yugi sighed. He hated to turn somebody down, but what choice did he have when they won't stop asking him and he really didn't want to have anyone other than Yami at his side. "No, Vivian. As I told you already last Friday, second last Monday and a lot of other times before, I don't want to go out with you", he told her softly. "Please understand..."_

"_But why do you not want to go out with me?", she asked him, unwillingly to give up already. "Every other boy would love to be with me."_

"_I... just don't want to", he mumbled. _

"_Well, and as long as you don't give me a proper reason I won't stop asking you", she told him firmly and crossed her arms over her chest, smiling smugly._

_Yami clenched his fists. He hated it when the humans annoyed him, but he hated it even more when they didn't leave Yugi alone. Yami had had enough... All those girls would probably never leave the two angels alone if they wouldn't do anything. _

_So Yami made a decision. _

"_Yugi", he mumbled. "I think it's about time that we..." Yami put his hands on Yugi's shoulders and looked the smaller one deep in the eyes. "...show them." _

_For a moment, Yugi furrowed his brow in confusion. As Yami leaned forward, realization took over Yugi. Out of the corner of his eye, he looked quickly at Vivian, whose expression was puzzled, before warm, smooth lips met Yugi's own and were pressed against them. _

_Yugi instantly melted into the kiss. He closed his eyes and couldn't help but imagine the expression Vivian's face now wore. He didn't even want to think about how many people now certainly stared at them, the two spiky haired boys, who stood kissing passionately in the middle of the school yard at the moment, the smaller one's hands entangled in the taller ones tri-colored hair. _

_As Yugi's thoughts already became cloudy due to the lack of air, he and Yami broke apart, gasping for breath. Grinning, Yami looked down at his smaller look-alike, whose face was covered with a heavy blush. After all, they'd never kissed in front of their whole school before, in fact they'd never kissed in public before, because they'd tried everything to not attract attention, or too much attention. But they made an exception here._

_Then, the two boys turned to Vivian again. The girl of Chinese origin looked at them unbelievingly, not trusting her eyes with what had just happened in front of her, her jaw dropped._

"_Now?", Yami said, smirking. "Is this reason good enough to make you stop bugging us?"_

"_W-what?", Vivian asked and snapped out of her stare._

"_Will you leave Yugi and me alone now?", Yami asked her. "Or will you keep bugging us?"_

_Vivian narrowed her eyes and left without saying a single word._

_Yugi smiled up at Yami. Then, the two looked around. Everyone's eyes were on them, it almost looked as if everybody had stopped what he was doing when Yami and Yugi had kissed. Some girls looked as if they were about to cry._

"_What?", Yami asked the people. Then, he took Yugi's hand and walked past them back into the school building._

"_Now they'll stop getting on our nerves", Yami explained to Yugi, who nodded in agreement._

"_Hopefully", the smaller boy muttered._

Those students who hadn't seen what had happened, had known it by the end of lunchtime at the very latest, as the occurrence had been on everyone's lips and not only for the rest of the day but for weeks. Most of the girls had been shocked and had stopped bugging the two with their continuous 'would you like to go out with me's, but some few still hadn't given up after three years. That's why Yugi (and Yami, too) still preferred to sit in the back of the classroom, to make it harder for their unwanted 'admirers' to stare at them.

While the classroom filled bit by bit, Yugi looked dreamy out of the window, his head stabilized by his arm.

Just as the school bell rang again, the teacher came into the classroom and class started.

"Today we...", the teacher, Mrs Hanimato, began to talk.

Barely ten minutes later, there was a knock at the door all of a sudden.

"Who could that be?", the teacher mumbled. "Come in", she then said.

The school secretary peeked her head into the room. "Sorry to interrupt you, Mrs Hanimato, but could you please come out for a moment?", she asked.

"Uhm, sure", Mrs Hanimato answered. "Please fill in your worksheets while I am outside",she told her class before she went out of the classroom and closed the door behind her.

Yugi sighed and began to answer the questions on the worksheet, while most of his classmates began to whisper and babble.

"Hmm... Beginning of the Yayoi Period...", Yugi uttered under his breath. "... Three-hundred BC?" He wrote it down and tried to answer the next question on his worksheet.

Few moments later, the door of the classroom was opened again and the teacher came back in. Immediately, all students were quiet.

"Listen, class", Mrs Hanimato said. "We've got a new student today. Please be nice. His name is Bakura Ryou." The students looked at each other, curious expressions on their faces.

At the mention of the name, the door was opened again and someone came in. Yugi looked up from his worksheet and gasped, like many other people in the classroom, too, as a boy, as pale as a ghost, his skin seemingly almost-transparent, walked into the classroom, his long snow-white hair reaching nearly down to the small of his back, swinging with every graceful move he made.

While most of Yugi's other classmates had an almost neutral scent, this boy's scent was overwhelming. Yugi could smell it all the way to where he was sitting, the sweet mix of vanilla and fresh spring flowers, spreading in the air.

With a charming smile that could melt hearts on his face, the boy stopped next to the teacher and introduced himself.

"Hello, everyone. My name is Bakura Ryou. I'm from England and I hope we will get along well with each other", he said, his voice sounding like singing in Yugi's ears, so melodically with a slight British accent in it, and not only in his ears it, but in the other student's, too.

For a moment, not even the teacher said something, everybody just looked at the stunningly beautiful boy. It was like a magic attraction sprang from him and overspread everyone with its spell, forcing them to look at him.

Ryou obviously felt uncomfortable being stared at, so he began to fiddle nervously with some strands of his hair. Then, he looked at Mrs Hanimato, until she finally told him to take a seat.

"Uhm, there, the seat in front of Yugi next to Nasume, isn't taken yet", Mrs Hanimato said and pointed to the empty chair.

Ryou nodded and walked up to it. While he walked there, he locked his eyes with Yugi's for a moment. Curious chocolate brown eyes stared into soft amethyst eyes. A feeling, a tingling sensation like a rush of adrenaline, went through Yugi's entire body as he looked at the new student, and it made him get goose bumps. Yugi had a strange feeling he couldn't describe exactly. There was something mysterious about this boy, something... but what?

As a small blush formed on Yugi's face because of the eye contact, the two boys averted each other's gaze. Smiling, Ryou sat down and put a pad and pencil case out of his school bag.

Yugi didn't know why, but for the rest of History class, he couldn't help but look at the white haired boy in front of him. Something made him look there all the time. Something was... different than normally. Yugi still had the strange feeling and somehow Yugi had another feeling. A feeling as if he'd seen the boy once already. Somewhere...

Suddenly, the school bell rang. Yugi jumped, startled. This hour was fast over.

He looked down at his worksheet. It was only half done, as he'd spent the whole hour with watching the boy in front of him and thinking.

When Yugi stood up, Ryou was long gone. Eventually, Yugi went to his next class, which he had together with Joey.

The entire morning, Ryou, the white haired boy, didn't leave Yugi's mind. Yugi wanted to find out what the strange feeling he'd had meant, but he couldn't explain it to himself exactly, and so he couldn't find the meaning of it. He would ask Yami about it later... perhaps.

As Yugi went into the cafeteria at lunch time, the first thing he saw was Ryou, sitting at a table in the corner of the cafeteria, surrounded by around a dozen girls.

//Poor guy//, Yugi thought, because he remembered how annoying those girls can be.

When Yugi arrived at the table where he, Yami, Joey, Tristan and Tea always sat, Yami and Joey were the only ones who were already there. They were talking.

"Hey, guys", Yugi said and sat down next to Yami, who put an arm around his lovers neck, while Joey still spoke.

"I mean, look at him!", Joey said, angry. "Not even a whole day here an' all the girls are at his feet already!"

Yugi furrowed his brow. "Are you talking about the new boy?", he asked.

"Yeah. It's just unfair! Boys like me don't even get a chance with the girls when there's someone like him!", Joey told them. Yugi raised an eyebrow about Joey's ranting and Yami hold back a laugh. It was always the same with Joey. Certainly, he had talked about him and Yugi in the same way when they had been here for the first time and all the girls had surrounded them. He always blamed the other boys for the fact that no girl had ever asked him to go out with her.

But despite Joey's ranting, Yami hadn't forgotten about what he wanted to talk with Yugi. It was about the new boy. Yami had a... bad feeling. The boy was so unnaturally pale. And as suspicious as Yami was (and had to be), he assumed that this boy was probably not human, though up to now he couldn't prove it.

"Well, he's in my history class", Yugi said.

"He is?!", Joey exclaimed just what Yami thought. Then Yugi had probably noticed what he wanted to talk with him about himself. Yami would speak with him about it nevertheless.

"Yeah", Yugi nodded. "His name is Bakura Ryou. And I don't think that he likes being stared at or surrounded. Just look at his expression", he said and pointed to Ryou. Yes, the white haired boys expression clearly showed how uncomfortable he felt right now.

"Hmpf", was the only thing Joey said.

Yami leaned forward to Yugi's ear. "I have to talk to you later", he whispered. Yugi looked at him and nodded.

At this moment, Tea and Tristan came to join their friends.

Tea didn't even sit when she began to talk.

"Oh. My. God", she said. "Did you already hear about it?", she asked.

Yami, Yugi and Joey shook their heads, not knowing what Tea was talking about.

"You know Kazumi Migoto, do you?", Tristan asked them. They nodded.

"Yeah, that black haired girl who is a friend of Vivian Wong, right?", Yugi said. Yami grimaced at the mention of Vivian.

"Exactly", Tristan answered.

"Well, what about her?", Yami asked.

"She's missing", Tea replied simply.

"What?!", Yugi, Yami and Joey exclaimed all at once.

Tea nodded. "Everybody is talking about it", she said. "They say that she was on her way home from somewhere last night. She went through the Domino forest but she never arrived home."

Yami and Yugi exchanged glances, considering all possible reasons for her absence. Their top guesses were: vampires or werewolves, not simply kidnaping or something caused by human activities. Because most of those disappearances of humans were caused by vampire or werewolf attacks.

Yami darted a glance at the white haired boy at the table in the corner of the cafeteria. First, the disappearance of a girl, then the appearance of a suspiciously pale boy... Strange...

Yami's eyes met Ryou's, who was looking at the group, a blank expression on his face now. Had he heard about what they were talking? Was his expression the prove that Yami was right with what he thought? Was this boy a vampire? Or was everything just a coincidence, his pale skin, his dark eyes and the disappearance of Kazumi Migoto?

While Joey, Tristan and Tea discussed what could have happened to Kazumi, Yugi and Yami were thinking.

//Maybe the appearance of this boy and the disappearance of this girl are connected with each other. If my assumption is right then I already know why she's missing...//, Yami thought. //I have to talk to Yugi...//

**-------------------------------------------To be continued-----------------------------------------------**

**Chapter 4 ends here.**

**So... did Yami already find out Ryou's secret? And what does Yugi's strange feeling mean? Why is Kazumi missing?**

**Okay, enough questions. Let's talk about the chapter. Have you ever read an explanation about why somebody prefers to sit in the back of the classroom that was that long and had a flashback in it? Now you have. ^-^ **

**And after the last chapter was only Ryou & Bakura, this was almost only Yugi & Yami. Don't worry, Malik and Marik will appear again soon. They are also main characters of the story after all.  
And it's not that I hate Vivian Wong or something. I just needed someone who would make Yami and Yugi show everyone that they were a couple. And Vivian simply fits therefor. ^^**

**I hope you liked the chapter (even if there were neither Malik and Marik nor Bakura in it). I'd be glad to hear what you think about the chapter/story. :)**

**As always, reviews are appreciated. And I hope that I'll be able to update sooner than this time. Oh, and I almost forgot what I wanted to ask you. Do you prefer chapter that are longer than this, chapter that are shorter than this or is the lenght of this chapter just alright?**

**Hope to see you all in chapter 5!**

**~Crystal of Moonlight~**


	6. Chapter 5 Vampiric side vs loving side

**Welcome to chapter 5. ^^ Thanks for the reviews! =)**

**Ah, it took me so long again to write this. I knew exactly what I wanted to write, but somehow I couldn't write it down and just stared at my computer screen (or at a piece of paper). Plus, I was busy. But I finally managed to write this chapter, so enjoy! This chapter starts with a small quote, because I thought it's nice to have something like that at the beginning of a chapter. ^-^ Oh, and Malik and Marik are in this chapter, too. They haven't appeared for two chapters, hehe.  
Okay, enough babbling. Enjoy this chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!**

**Chapter 5 Vampiric side vs. loving side**

If there was in the world a warranted and proven history, it is that of vampires.

Nothing is lacking. Official reports, testimonials of persons of standing. Of surgeons, of clergymen, of judges: the judicial evidence is embracing.

And with all that, who is there who believes in vampires?

- Jean-Jacques Rousseau

**---------------------------------------------Ryou and Bakura-------------------------------------------**

Bakura sighed.

The pale vampire with long shimmering white hair lay on his back on the couch, twiddling with his fingers and looking up at the ceiling. Every now and then, he darted a look at the clock, only to see that the time didn't pass by as fast as he'd like it to pass by. Who thought that the life of a vampire was always exciting was completely wrong. Bakura was bored like hell right now and did not know what he should do, like always when Ryou wasn't there.

Bakura got so used to the gentle, white haired boy, that it was hard for him to do anything (besides hunting) without him. Sure, he was glad that he didn't have to spend his time in school among all those humans now, but at least he would spend his time there with Ryou.

Ryou...

Bakura didn't like the fact that his lover went to school without him this morning, because firstly, he hated it when he didn't know what exactly Ryou was doing. Secondly, the students surely would stare at the one who belonged to him and him alone, what Ryou always made feel uncomfortable and Bakura wasn't there to shoot evil glares at them to scare them off.

And thirdly, Bakura knew exactly that he was the reason why he was lying on the couch now, bored, and why Ryou was in school now, alone. Because Ryou had been angry at him. It was all Bakura's fault. And Bakura felt... guilty, for once.

After he had finally realized that the love (or more probably the lack of it) which was between him and Ryou... that he was the one to blame for it, he kept thinking what he could do to show Ryou that he was sorry for what he'd done. Apologizing was something he'd never done before. It wasn't his nature to apologize. He was a vampire, after all. Why should he swallow his pride and do something like that?

For Ryou...? Did Ryou mean so much to him? That he was willing to change for him? Never in the three millennia he already lived had he done something of that sort.

But he also knew that he had to change or at least try it if he wanted to tell Ryou that he loved him.

The more he thought about what he should do, the less resulted. It was a constant arguing with himself. An arguing between the side of him which loved Ryou and his pride, vampiric side.

And as he lay there, thinking, the front door was pushed open all of a sudden with an ear-piercing bang. Startled, Bakura jumped off of the couch and turned towards source of noise.

In the doorframe stood Ryou, his bangs hiding his eyes as his head was slightly lowered, so that Bakura couldn't see his expression.

"Ryou?", Bakura said and furrowed his brow. Was the other still angry at him? Usually, his anger would fly away after few hours as Ryou was not the person to be angry at somebody for a long time. "What-", Bakura began, but stopped, when Ryou slammed the door shut and walked past him.

"Don't say anything", Ryou hissed lowly.

Bakura sighed mentally. So Ryou was still angry.

When he reached the stairs, he stopped. "We're as good as given away again. And mostly because of you", Ryou mumbled.

"Excuse me?!", Bakura snarled and narrowed his eyes. "I wasn't even with you at school today, remember?"

"Yeah", Ryou said and turned round, his eyes sparkling with anger. "Kazumi Migoto."

Bakura's eye twitched at the mention of the name. That was the reaction Ryou expected to see.

"Never heard of", Bakura lied, hesitantly.

"Oh, really?", Ryou said. Bakura was a good liar more often than not, but Ryou knew him so long that he knew the few things which gave his taller look alike away as well as his own ones. "You know, the entire Domino High School is talking about her as she vanished without a trace. People say, she had no reasons to run away from home, so she certainly fell victim to a crime."

"And what do I have to do with that? Like I already said, I wasn't at school, so how shall I know?", Bakura asked, his face straight, arms crossed over his chest.

"Well, you usually ask your victim for his or her name, don't you?", Ryou questioned.

Bakura shrugged. "So what? Only because some stupid girl vanished, you automatically assume I'm responsible for her missing?"

"I don't assume it, I know it", Ryou told him. "She disappeared on her way through the Domino forest, coincidentally the place where you told me you hunted the other night. Don't deny it, Bakura."

Silence followed. Nobody said something.

"Why her?", Ryou muttered softly, his eyes averted.

Bakura shrugged. "Why shall there be a reason? She simply crossed my path and she wasn't that bad." A smile crawled on his face at the memory of her crying and begging.

_*flashback*_

_The leaves on the ground rustled as the black haired girl ran along the path through the woods. Her breathing was fitful, since she was running for several minutes now, ever since she had gotten the feeling that she was not alone, that somebody was watching her, following her in this dark night. Anxious, she kept looking right and left at the trees and bushes, frightened that her follower would jump out from behind them. _

_She didn't see who or what was following her, but she could hear it as if it was right behind her. The faint cracking sounds every now and then, like somebody stepping on a fallen down branch. She thought she could even feel its breath against her neck and it made her shiver, but in spite of her fear, she kept running and running and wished that she wouldn't have left the house of her friend this night, wished that she would have spent the day at home._

_But for wishes, it was too late now._

_And she knew that. However, it was never too late to hope that she'd at least arrive at home to see her family again. So she kept running. And running._

_And running._

_Her feet met the ground in the beat of her heart. _

Tap-tap-tap. Tap-tap-tap...

_What or who was following her? An animal? A wolf? Or just some kind of bird? No... this was definitely not an animal. _

_Was it a thief? Or a rapist? Was it a murderer? Would she still live tomorrow? _

_Suddenly, a flash of white scurried past her. _

"_Hhh!" Startled, the black haired girl stopped running and looked around, her soft brown eyes widened with fear, her heart pounding that heavily that she could feel it in her entire body._

_She was standing in the middle of an almost round clearing, the stars at the pitch black sky sparkling dangerously and the moonlight shining down on her through the top of a conifer. _

_Breathing heavily, she spun round slowly, her eyes alert._

_What... had this flash of white been? Whatever it had been, it was fast. Much faster than her. _

_The black haired girl slowly began to think that this was neither an animal nor a human... _

_But what was it then?_

_Trembling, the girl gulped before she dared to shout into the darkness._

"_Hello?", her words came out as a whisper. "Hello?", she said, louder this time. "Is there anybody here?_"

_No answer, just an icy cold breeze, which made a cold shiver run down her spine._

_Her eyes still scanned the darkness. _

_Suddenly, a low chuckle, which made her blood run cold, sounded out of dark. _

_The black haired girl froze at the place, her eyes widening even more._

"_Hello? Who's there?", she asked, frightened._

_Out of the bushes about thirty feet in front of her, a gloomy figure appeared. As it approached slowly, she could see the human form's white hair, shimmering in the moonlight, and its pale skin, gleaming and seeming ghostly white, almost transparent. The creature wore a black trench coat, unbuttoned, the sleeves rolled up so that the muscular arms were revealed. Underneath the trench coat, it wore a shirt with blue and white horizontal stripes and slate blue jeans. The creature's head was bent forward so that the white bangs covered it's eyes and nose._

"_I'm Bakura", the creature said._

_The black haired girl ignored his words and stepped backwards cautiously with every step the white haired figure made towards her._

"_Are you afraid?", Bakura asked, the words coming out melodically, like singing, with a slight British accent._

_The girl didn't respond. Bakura came closer and closer towards her, a creepy smirk appearing on his face._

_Suddenly, in the twinkling of an eye, the pale boy suddenly stood behind her, holding on to her right arm with his right hand and clinging round her neck with his left arm._

"_AAH!!!" The girl's earpiercing cry echoed through the silence of the night in the forest and startled some birds up, which now flew away hectically._

"_I ask you again" Bakura's voice was right at her ear, whispering into it. She could feel his icy cold breath against her neck. "Are you afraid?", he asked._

_The girl closed her eyes and shook her head heavily. "No", she breathed. "No."_

"_Hmm...", Bakura smirked evilly. "Then I'll make you afraid. I promise."_

_The girl's eyes shot open, fear reflecting in them. She stared into Bakura's face and looked directly into crimson eyes. Her eyes widened with shock and she struggled to get free of the grip he hold her with; without success. Bakura hold her tightly, she couldn't escape. _

"_W-what the hell are you?", she whispered fearfully, still struggling._

_Bakura's grin broadened, revealing dangerous looking fangs._

"_Ever read 'Twilight'?", he asked and tightened his grip on her._

_A gasp escaped her lips as she fell backwards onto the grass. As soon as she made contact with the ground, she crawled backwards, not letting the pale white haired boy out of her sight._

"_No... No...", she whispered to herself, her eyes wide. "This can't be... There are no such things... It's impossible... There are no vampires!"_

_Bakura chuckled. "Really? Well, I'm afraid it's true", he said and bared his fangs. "But unfortunately, I'm not like 'Edward', hehe. Are you... disappointed?"_

_She didn't reply. She only kept crawling backwards, away from the transparent white figure._

"_Do you really think you can escape me? You? One of those pathetic mortals?", he asked and chuckled again evilly. "I don't think so."_

_The girl still crawled on. After a while, when she was more than thirty feet away from Bakura, she jumped to her feet and began running, as fast as she could. _

"_Haha! Run while you can, mortal!", Bakura called after her. "This is one of my favorite games and I've never lost and I won't ever lose", he laughed while the girl disappeared between bushes and trees. //Ryou may have told me not to toy with my food, but what the eye does not see, the heart does not grieve over, hehe//, he thought._

_Meanwhile, Kazumi ran as fast as she could manage."I... have to... get away... quickly...", she said to herself, panting. While she was running, she pushed away branches and twigs, not caring that they scratched her skin. She had bigger problems than that at the moment. She had to run, to get away from this creature, to _survive_ this._

_Tears ran down her face, ignored by her. _

_After a while, she darted a glance over her shoulder and saw the pale figure, Bakura, following her as cool as ice, about three-hundred feet behind her._

_The girl turned her eyes forward again and avoided several trees, running and running. _

_Soon, she was out of breath and had stitches in her side, but she couldn't stop. She couldn't or else this _thing_ would get her._

_She decided to dart another look over her shoulder to make sure that her follower was still far behind._

_She gasped, however, when she saw nothing but trees. The white-haired creature wasn't there anymore. In surprise of Bakura's disappearance and wondering if he'd let up on her, she failed to see an over the ground standing tree root and tripped. _

_With an 'umph' she sprawled on the forest floor, scraping her knees and wrists. She closed her eyes and clenched her teeth for a moment before she got back on her feet, not caring to wipe off the mud that covered her clothes, and continued to run immediately._

_A cry escaped her lips when she was suddenly pushed aside with an incredible force by two pale arms and crashed into a tree. Pain shot through her body and she slid down along the tree trunk. Something hot ran down the back of her head._

_Bakura laughed and took a deep breath, inhaling the rusty scent of blood, which hung in the air. "You mortals are so... weak and pathetic", he said, approaching the whimpering girl. "So... fragile, aren't you?" _

_The girl touched the back part of her head and gasped when her hand was covered in crimson liquid. _

_At the sight of blood, Bakura's eyes got an even darker shade of crimson. He licked his lower lip. Then, he crouched down in front of the wailing girl, who flinched. Bakura took her chin and forced her to look into his eyes. _

"_Looks like I won this game", he told her, a cruel sneer on his face._

"_No", she mouthed, exhausted. "Please..."_

_Bakura chuckled. "Tell me your name", he demanded._

"_K-kazumi Migoto", she stuttered. She knew not doing what he wanted would probably make everything only worse and maybe, she hoped, he would let her go if she'd do what he said._

"_Kazumi, then", Bakura said. He stroked with his hand over her blood-covered hair. "Looks like you're injured." _

_Then, Bakura eyed his bloody hand, smirking. He looked at Kazumi, who watched him, fearful, and after that, he licked with his tongue over his hand._

_Kazumi's face turned even paler than it already was by now. She had the feeling that she'd throw up any moment._

"_Do you believe in beings like me now, Kazumi?", Bakura asked her._

_She didn't manage to say something. Her lips were trembling so badly._

"_What's going on, Kazumi?", Bakura asked. "Looks like you're afraid now. I promised you I'd make you afraid. And I rarely break a promise."_

"_Please...", Kazumi whispered, closing her eyes. "Please... let me go..." Tears trickled down her face up to her chin, where they dropped down onto her chest._

_Bakura threw his head back and laughed. "I'm sorry, but I can't do that", he told her and inhaled the blood scent coming from the wound on the back of her head. "Ah... I'm not able to take this scent any longer", he muttered, more to himself. "I'm sorry to tell you, but your eyes, dear Kazumi, will never see the daylight again." _

_And with that said, Bakura lunged forward at the semi-conscious girl and let his fangs pierce into the girl's throat, letting the hot, rusty blood flow into his own throat and-_

Slap_._

Bakura blinked.

He looked up into Ryou's angry and unbelieving face, while he touched his cheek which had been slapped by his smaller look alike, who was panting with anger.

"Stop it!", Ryou shouted. "Stop thinking about how you killed her!" Ryou's eyes looked as if he was about to cry; of course that would never happen. Vampires couldn't cry.

He had seen the sudden bloodthirsty look in Bakura's eyes, so he knew what he'd been thinking about. And it made him even angrier.

"Just... stop it", Ryou muttered.

Bakura narrowed his eyes. "Nobody tells me what I'm allowed to think about and what I'm not allowed. Not some stupid human, not another vampire and especially not you!", he snarled. "I'm a vampire. Killing is kinda my nature. Don't forget that."

Ryou said nothing.

The two vampires looked at each other in silence for several moments, before Ryou turned round and dashed up the stairs, locking himself in his room.

He knew blaming Bakura for the fact that they were possibly given away wasn't right. Ryou's appearance was a factor, too. Some people could sense that he was different. But still... the disappearance of a girl followed by the sudden arrival of a mysterious boy... suspicious...

Ryou sighed and slumped down on his bed.

He also knew that he shouldn't scold Bakura because he did what a vampire was supposed to do, what his instincts told him. It wasn't fair.

//I should probably apologize for slapping him...//, Ryou thought. //Hmm... I'll do that later... perhaps... or not...//

Meanwhile, down in the living room, stood Bakura, fuming, his one hand rubbing the cheek that now had a red imprint of Ryou's hand on it.

Actually, Bakura had wanted to apologize to Ryou this evening, because of all the things he'd done that angered Ryou, but now, after Ryou had blamed and slapped him, he had changed his mind.

Before _he_ would apologize to _Ryou_, _Ryou_ should say sorry to _him_.

Because in the end, Bakura's pride, vampiric side outweighed the side of him which loved Ryou, which would fight for him, which would sacrifice itself and change for him... Sadly...

**----------------------------------------------Yami and Yugi---------------------------------------------**

Yugi closed the door behind him after Yami and he had gone into their house. He then walked into the living room, where Yami was already sitting on the couch.

"Yami, you wanted to talk to me about something, right?", Yugi said as he approached his taller look-alike and sat down beside him.

Yami nodded. "Yes. It's about this new boy."

"You mean Ryou?", Yugi asked.

"Exactly."

"Well, what about him?", Yugi questioned.

"You mean, you haven't noticed?" Yami was surprised.

"Uh, no. What?" Yugi furrowed his brow. What should he had noticed? Was something wrong with the white-haired boy?

"Haven't you noticed how pale he is?", Yami asked.

"Uh...", Yugi mumbled. "Maybe he doesn't like the sun or goes brown hardly."

Yami narrowed his eyes at the younger boy. He didn't like the fact that Yugi was defending Ryou. "And what about the fact that he attracts everyone's attention?", Yami inquired.

"That's because he's new", Yugi said simply. "It's always like this."

"Yeah, but didn't you notice this... mysterious cloak that seemed to surround him?", Yami asked.

"Cloak?", Yugi repeated.

"It's a metaphor", Yami explained quickly.

"Hmm..." Yugi thought about it for a moment. He remembered the feelings which had run through him when he'd looked at Ryou and that he couldn't look away from him the whole time. Something made him look there. "Well, yeah, there was something mysterious about him, but Yami", he quickly added, when Yami was about to say something. "This is no proof that he's a vampire. I mean, all vampires I've seen have been horrible creatures and you could tell they were at first sight. Ryou isn't like that. He looks kind and gentle. He can't be one..."

Yami raised an eyebrow. "Do you really think that?"

Yugi nodded.

"Yugi, remember that not all vampires we've seen looked like vampires. Or did you forget the small vampire child that had killed half a village within a night?", Yami asked and Yugi shuddered at the memory of how much blood there had been and how difficult it had been to slay the innocent looking child with the big crimson eyes.

"How could I forget", Yugi mumbled.

"See", Yami said. "That child looked as innocent as only a child could and no one would have assumed that it was a vampire. Until it began to kill everyone in his surroundings."

"But... Still, I don't think that he is one...", Yugi mumbled. "He seems so nice and appears to be polite and stuff."

"But I told you more than once: No matter how the appearance may be, underneath it often all there is, is darkness, cruelty and hate."

"I know, I know...", Yugi said. "However, I feel that Ryou can't be like that."

"Are you protecting him or what?", Yami asked and looked Yugi into the eyes.

"No", Yugi replied and looked at his lap. "Not really..."

"You know that we, as angels, have to be suspicious about everything. It's our job", Yami told him and took Yugi's hands into his own.

Yugi sighed. "Of course, I know that..."

"And? Don't you find it suspicious that he appears at the same time Kazumi Migoto disappears?"

"Well... I don't know... It's probably just a coincidence...", Yugi answered.

"You _are_ protecting him!", Yami said.

"Yes, I guess I am. But only because you claim things that are not proven!", Yugi countered quickly.

"That may be true", Yami told him. "Anyway. As long as we don't know more about this guy, I'd feel better if you'd stay away from him."

"Yami", Yugi muttered and looked up at the other.

"It's our job to protect the humans, I know. But I also want nothing to happen to you. So do me this one favor and keep aloof", Yami said.

Yugi sighed. "All right, then. I'll do my best. But I have to say that it's needless. Even if Ryou would be a vampire, what he surely not is, he wouldn't do anything under the eyes of all those students."

"You can't be sure about that", Yami told him. "And I'm glad you'll try", he smiled.

Yugi nodded.

He would do everything for Yami. He would die for him. Because he loved him. And because he knew Yami would do just the same for him.

And besides, staying away from somebody didn't mean not to think about them. And he was glad about that, because he simply couldn't get the pale, white haired boy out of his mind.

**---------------------------------------------Marik and Malik-------------------------------------------**

"Five days! Since five days we can't get away from this madman! He's bugging the hell out of us!", Ishizu shouted at Odion. The two stood in the small living room the ship had and both faces were covered by a stressed expression. "If he'll do anything else, _anything_, I'll either_ jump_ into the ocean or I'll _throw_ _him_ into the ocean! The main thing is that he can't nerve me anymore!"

"I know, Ishizu", Odion said and tried to calm his sister down. "But you know that if Marik is not able to spin out his energy somehow, he's always like that. And how shall he spend his energy here, on this ship?"

Ishizu sighed and slumped down on an armchair standing next to her. "I don't know. I only hope we'll soon arrive at Domino", she muttered. "I really can't tell how much longer I am able to bear with him..."

Outside of the living room, Malik was standing at the door and eavesdropped their conversation. He'd been about to storm in and defend his twin brother, but then he'd realized that Marik really had been more bugging than usually. On the second day on the ship, Marik had tried to hunt dolphins with a harpoon, which Odion prevented. Then, Marik had stolen several things from the captain, including the compass and the ocean chart, what made the ship wander off course until Ishizu had found said things under Marik's pillow. Normally, Malik would have found that funny, but he wanted to eventually arrive in Japan and not navigate around the ocean for weeks.

And then there had been this evening. Ishizu, Odion, Malik and Marik had been sitting in the small living area the ship had and because they had nothing better to do, they'd told jokes. Everyone had already told one and it had been Marik's turn.

_*flashback*_

"_Marik, you're next", Ishizu said. _

_A creepy grin spread on Marik's face. "Okay. But my joke is a little longer" He cleared his throat and began._

"_There once had been a young girl. She had a dog and she loved the dog very much. Night after night, when she lay on her bed, she reached with her hand under the bed, where her dog lay. Because then, when the dog licked off her hand, she knew that he was still there and she was able to fall asleep, becalmed. _

"_This Saturday evening was no exception, besides the fact that her parents were out, leaving her alone at night for the first time in her life._

"_And there she lay, on her bed and reached with her hand under the bed and her dog licked off her hand. But this time, she simply couldn't fall asleep. All along she heard this strange sound. _

"Drip drip drip_..._

"_And again..._

"Drip drip drip_..._

"_After a while, she was wondering what this sound might be. So she went out of her bed and walked to the place where she assumed the sound to come from. The bathroom. She opened the door and her eyes widened in shock at the sight in front of her. Her dog, headlong hanged, a huge gash along his stomach and the blood dripping out of it onto the floor._

"Drip drip drip_..._

"_The girl screamed with fear and ran down the stairs to ran to the police. However, she stopped when she reached the front door, where a note hung and on it was written _'Even murderers can lick off hands'_." _

_The story was followed by a fits of laugher of Marik and a scream of Ishizu._

"_Marik!", Odion shouted. "You were supposed to tell a joke not a horror story! You know Ishizu can't stand them!"_

"_But it was funny!", Marik said. _

"_It was terrible!", Ishizu said, her eyes closed. "_You_ are terrible! Go and get out of my sight."_

_Complaining under his breath, Marik walked to the cabin he shared with Malik. "They simply can't take a joke..."_

_Malik, who had merely watched all this, followed his brother, but he had locked the door to the cabin. Sighing, Malik went back to the living room._

Well, telling horror stories instead of jokes was something Marik usually did, too, so it didn't really count as unusual. But it was the trigger for the talk Ishizu and Odion now had.

And while they blamed Marik's bugging behavior on the current circumstances, something else that made sense came into Malik's mind.

Quickly, he walked back to his and Marik's cabin and banged on the door. "Marik! Open this damn door! I have to talk to you!", he said.

A sigh could be heard and then the door opened.

"What?", Marik asked, his arms crossed over his chest.

"I was wondering and so were Ishizu and Odion, why you are more nerving than normally", Malik told him.

Marik rolled his eyes.

"You take your pills every day, don't you?", Malik asked.

"Huh?"

"Marik. Don't tell me you don't take them!", Malik said.

"Uh.. Well", Marik mumbled and looked down.

"Marik! Do you want to transform into a werewolf here, on the ship?!", Malik shouted.

"Ssh! Not so loud! Or else Ishizu and Odion will hear you", Marik hissed.

"Why don't you take them?", Malik asked, a little quieter.

Marik looked at him. "Malik. They make me sick. I don't want to take them anymore, because... there's no real reason to take them. We'll transform somehow or other", he explained. "Why shall I take these pills, when they make me feel sick? Only because they delay the transformation and have the nice side effect that they make us calmer?" He paused. "When the full moon appears at the sky, we'll transform nolens volens, no matter if we've taken the pills or not."

"But Marik, when the effect of the pills is gone and you transform into a werewolf while we're on this ship?", Malik questioned.

"I don't know", Marik said. "But Malik, you of all people should understand why I don't want to take the pills..."

Malik looked into Marik's eyes, which had a pleading look in them. "Of course I understand you. Do you think I like taking them? We take them so that we don't transform every night. So that we are able to live an almost normal life, like everyone else. But when you have the knowledge that you depend on pills so that you don't become a murderous monster... Then you still can't have a normal life", Malik said. "But no matter how sick the pills make me feel, Marik, and how often I doubt their necessity, I still take them. Because I think of our mother and father, who have sacrificed themselves for us. And they wanted that we're able to live. A normal life. Unfortunately, they failed... But I want to respect their wish and give my best to live like everybody else. If it wasn't our parents' wish that we live and if they wouldn't have died for us, I think I would've already killed myself."

An uncomfortable silence followed, where Malik and Marik just stared at each other. After a while, Marik reached into the pocket of his jeans and took out a little box. He opened it and took a pill in his hand. He swallowed the pill dry.

"Satisfied?", Marik asked his brother.

Malik nodded. "Yes."

**----------------------------------------------To be continued--------------------------------------------**

**Ah, finally we hear something about Malik and Marik again. ^^ I don't know how long it takes to get from Egypt to Japan by ship. I think it's a way of 12000 km (I measured the way in my atlas with my ruler :P ) and I don't know how fast a ship can drive, but let's say it would manage to drive 2000 km a day, then the journey would last 6 days. That means Marik and Malik will arrive at Domino in one day. Btw, does anybody know the horror story? I just had to write it down. :)**

**And I have to tell you that I've spend hours reading websites about vampires and werewolves, etc. and I searched for quotes about them, too and stumbled over the french (=original) version of Jean-Jacques Rousseau's quote about the vampiremyth. Instead of translating it, I was clever and searched for the english version, hehe. :P I know the quote has actually nothing to do with this chapter, but I couldn't find a quote that would. I thought it'd be nice to start a chapter with a quote or something similar, so if you know any good quotes or whatever about vampires, werewolves or angels... then it'd be nice if you'd tell me. ^-^ Maybe I could use it. **

**I think this chapter was not as good as the others, but I'm not feeling well lately, so I blame it on that. ^^ **

**I'd be really happy if more people would review! I see how many people read it, after all. Five reviews or more would make me really happy, people. **

**Oh, well. That was all I wanted to say. (This was the longest chapter I've ever written, btw) ^^ I hope to see you again in chapter 6. **

**Don't forget to review and make me happy!**

**~Crystal of Moonlight~**


	7. Chapter 6 Day of arrival

**Hello, dear readers! ^___^ **

**Ra, it's been ages since the last update...**

**Sorry, it took me (again) so long to write this, mainly because I firstly spent too much time on other websites (deviantart and themusebunny to be exact ^^) and because I didn't know how to start this chapter. I knew exactly what should happen in the chapter, but I just couldn't begin to write. Don't know what was wrong with me. ^-^'' Plus, I got distracted a lot whenever I wanted to write. :\ I also was on a school trip. **

**I hope you forgive me again and I will hopefully write the next chap a little bit faster. **

**So, now that I've told you why this chapter is so awfully late, enjoy the chappy!**

**(I couldn't find a quote for the beginning of this chapter that'd suit, so I wrote something myself, haha. ^^; Sorry if it doesn't make much sense. I tried...)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!**

**Chapter 6 Day of arrival**

Can you see the moonlight,  
Shimmering like diamonds,  
Lightening the darkness,  
Trying to replace the light  
the sun gives us by day?

Can you see the creatures,  
Hiding in the shadows?  
Not because of rays of sunshine  
at this time of the day,  
But because of moonlight  
that'll transform them without delay.

**-----------------------------------------------Malik and Marik--------------------------------------------**

Six days had gone by since the Ishtar family had started their journey to Japan and had said goodbye to their homeland of Egypt where surely the searing hot sun was shining down on land and people at the moment while Malik and Marik were stuck on a ship in the middle of the ocean by early morning, surrounded by gray clouds and seemingly never-ending rain. In a few hours the Ishtars would finally arrive in Domino City and everyone, especially Ishizu, was more than glad about that. The lack of space really got to them and caused them all to be on edge.

The tension among the siblings after last night's happenings was uncomfortable, so that Malik and Marik had decided to avoid Odion and Ishizu for a while to prevent trouble and stay in their cabin. It was better this way, since Ishizu was still mad at Marik.

Malik sat on his bed and looked out through the small round window, raindrops pattering against it and drawing patterns on it.

He sighed. Malik hated the rain. It was so much different from the warm rays of sunshine he was used to. This weather made him already miss Egypt and he would have liked to turn round and go back. But yet, he was also curious about what it would be like in Japan and now that they were almost there, his curiosity was increasing so rapidly, that he didn't even know anymore if he liked moving to Domino city and starting a, well, new life (if that was possible) now or not. Should he think of everything they'd left behind or should he think of what was ahead?

Malik was in a quandary. He didn't know what to think. Every time when the feeling of excitement ran through him, the feeling of guilt followed immediately. How could he be excited about moving to Japan, when in Egypt lay his parents, dead? How could he leave them behind? Why didn't he rebel against moving to Japan? Why...

Malik sighed again. He had spoken about that with Marik already shortly after they'd left and Marik had tried to calm him down, had tried to tell him that this was necessary in order to fulfill their parents wish; that Malik and Marik should be able to live a normal life, that they would be safe. However, seeing this as necessary was hard for Malik... Because he and his brother would certainly never be able to live a normal life (the occasional werewolf transformations made this difficult).

To stop thinking about all that again, Malik concentrated on Marik. The twin with the wilder hair lay on his back on his bed, his purple eyes fixed on the ceiling. He hadn't said a single word in the past hours, which was fairly unusual for him. Surely, that was because of the pills.

Malik reached into the pocket of his jeans and took out the small, round, white box.

_LX-2312_

was written on it in red letters.

//Lupus-crossing...//, Malik thought. Lupus-crossing... wolf-crossing... that's what LX meant. It described him precisely. And every time he took one of these pills, he was remembered that he took them, because he was not a human being, because he was a monster that had to be controlled, a monster that was able to kill others, cruel, bloodthirsty... that is, as long as the monster wasn't controlled. But Malik and his brother, they were controlled. And up to now, everything they knew about what werewolves were able to do when not being controlled by pills or something else, were stories they had heard from elder people or seen in horror movies. They didn't know how much of that was true or how they would behave when they would not take their pills. Truth be told, Malik didn't even want to find it out.

He turned the small box in his hands.

Yes, the pills had the nice side effect that they made them calmer, but the main reason for taking them was that they didn't transform into werewolves every single night as soon as moonlight would fall on their skin. However, never transforming into a werewolf was impossible for them. Every night of a full moon, not even pills could hold back the metamorphosis anymore; they only alleviated all the werewolf things, like the blood thirst. Maybe the pills didn't work on full moon-nights because of something astronomical, as the moon reaches its absolute magnitude then; maybe it was because of other things, mysterious things, such as destiny... nobody knew...

The fate of the Ishtar twins was simply inevitable and the pills merely delayed and alleviated the transformation, to cut a long story short.

Malik put the box back into his pocket and watched his brother.

Marik was calmer than last night, a lot calmer. Too calm... And that was only partly caused by the pills.

Something was on Marik's mind and Malik didn't know what it was. Should he simply ask Marik?

He decided against it as he didn't know in what mood his brother was and chose to wait a while until Marik would possibly tell him what was on his mind himself.

Minutes passed by. Meanwhile, Malik watched his brother, who still did nothing besides lying on the bed and staring up at the ceiling.

Malik sighed mentally in frustration about his twin. He had thought, Marik would eventually have started talking to him by now, but he hadn't and Malik, as curious as he was, had to find out what was on Marik's mind himself.

"You know", Malik began, lying down on his bed now. "This somehow reminds me of when we've still been little children."

Marik showed no reaction that he'd heard his brother, but Malik didn't give up and talked on.

"Whenever mother or father had been angry with one of us or whenever one of us had a problem, we stuck together and we both holed up in our room and stayed there for hours, meanwhile plotting something or often merely lying on our beds and looking either up at the ceiling or at each other", Malik said. "Just like now, you know..." A smile found its way to his face at the memory of that time.

_*flashback*_

_Marik slammed the door shut behind him with a loud bang and walked to his bed in the room he shared with his twin brother. Malik was already sitting on his bed, reading a book. Now, however, he watched his brother instead._

_From outside the room, the shouting of the boys' parents could be heard. _

_Marik slumped down on his small bed, pouting and crossing his eyes over his chest, his purple eyes narrowed. Six years old, and already the same dangerous look in his eyes he'd still have more than ten years later._

_Not knowing what had happened and why his parents were shouting, Malik stood up and went towards his brother, his lavender eyes sparkling with curiosity._

"_Marik?", he said carefully and sat down on the side of his brother's bed. "Hey, man. Are you alright?"_

_No answer._

"_What has happened?", Malik asked and laid his hand on Marik's hand, only that it was slapped away by Marik. _

_Startled, Malik jumped off of the bed, scowling at his brother. "Hey, I haven't done anything to you to be angry with me!", Malik protested._

_Marik closed his eyes. "Go away, Malik", he mumbled. "Leave me alone!"_

_Malik merely shook his head and crossed his small, tanned arms over his chest. "No", he said. "I'm your brother. No, your twin. Your other half. I want to know what's going on." The little Egyptian walked back to his bed and sat down again, watching his brother staring up at the wooden ceiling. _

_Silence followed. Nothing could be heard except for their constant breathing._

"_What have you done again to make mother and father shouting at you?", Malik asked after a while in order to break the silence, though he didn't think it was uncomfortable. He enjoyed the quietness as long as his brother bore him company so that he didn't feel lonely. _

"_What makes you think__** I**__ did something?", Marik snapped and looked at his brother._

"_Because it usually is like that!"_

"_Hmph..."_

_Again, all that followed was silence._

"_So, what has happened, Marik?", Malik asked after a while._

_Marik hesitated. "I... just wanted to see if cats are able burn..."_

_Malik's eyes widened for a moment, before a wicked smile appeared on his face. "And? Are they?"_

_Marik grinned. "And how! You should have seen!... I only think mother and father weren't that happy about it... "_

"_Oh, they will surely calm down soon", Malik assured his brother. "As long as they're angry, we'll simply stay here in our room."_

"'_kay", Marik answered, glad that Malik stuck by him._

"Yes, of course I remember that", Marik suddenly said.

It took Malik a moment to realize that he had said his thoughts out loud. He looked at Marik, who was still lying on his bed, his purple eyes now fixed on Malik.

"We always stuck together", Malik whispered. "No matter what had happened, no matter what we'd fucked up, we were always there for each other. We understood each other."

"We still do", Marik said. He sighed before he went on. "You just wanna know what I'm thinking about, don't you, brother?"

Malik shrugged and grinned. "I just want to give you the possibility to get that stuff off your mind, so that you quit that depressed mood you had all day. I can't stand that anymore."

"Tsk. Look who's talking! Who's been sentimental ever since we knew we'd leave Egypt, huh?", Marik snapped. "I think it was... you!" He pointed at his brother.

"You know damn well why I've been like that, bro", Malik said, his eyes narrowed. Mentally however, he was smiling. It has been a while since he'd spoken with Marik like that after all. It almost made him feel as if they were back in Egypt again, quarreling for the remote control and not about serious stuff. It distracted them from the sadness of the past days.

In the end, Malik had finally realized that being sad about everything what had happened didn't help them in any way, at the moment anyway, so he decided that it was about time to look forward to what would happen and forget about the werewolf stuff (if that was possible) at least for one moment or two.

"And you know damn well why I've been how I've been today!", Marik countered.

"No, I don't", Malik told him.

"Of course you do! It's because of all the werewolf stuff! Just thinking about everything pisses me off!", Marik shouted. "I... just don't want this anymore. I don't want to be something inhuman. I want to be normal, like everybody else. A human, nothing more. It's just so unfair..."

And there was that damn sadness again Malik just had tried to move on from...

"Did you notice that only now? Nobody has ever said life is fair", Malik muttered. "Or else we wouldn't turn into hairy monsters every full moon night and our parents would be alive. And we would live in Egypt", Malik added and then, he paused. A grin crept on his face. "Ra, do you actually now that all what we've done the past days was nothing besides whining and complaining of how bad our lives are?"

Marik closed his eyes. "Yeah. Man, we're wimps."

"Especially you", Malik chuckled.

Marik opened his eyes and glared at his twin brother. "I've been only whining for a day, you've been doing it for, like, two weeks now!"

"Yeah, yeah. Besides, it was one week", Malik corrected.

"Smartypants", Marik muttered.

"Anyways. I think it's about time we try to stop being sentimental, don't you think? I mean, we should forget about being werewolves at least for a moment", Malik said.

"If that is possible, I'm a piece of cake", Marik mumbled.

Malik rolled his eyes and chuckled. "Where did that come from now?", he asked.

"I don't know... But I'm hungry...", Marik explained.

Malik groaned, but actually he was happy. He really couldn't stand it when Marik was depressed. One reason was because he showed it to nobody aside from Malik. Marik would act in front of others, often also in front of Ishizu and Odion, as the crazy guy who didn't worry about anything, but not in front of Malik. The twins simply shared a special bond.

"Well, we can sneak into the kitchen and steal something to eat", Malik suggested.

"Hmm, okay", Marik agreed and stood up from his bed.

Malik stood up as well.

Together, the Ishtar twins went to the door of their cabin and peeked out into the small, dim hallway. No sound other than the humming of the ship engine could be heard. Ishizu and Odion surely were still asleep, what was good for the two tanned boys as they could now go into the kitchen unnoticed.

............................

It was afternoon by now, the rain had finally stopped and the twins were in their cabin again, still preferring to avoid their siblings. Like this morning, the boys were lying on their beds.

"Marik", Malik began. "Are you looking forward to living in Japan?"

"Hmm", Marik thought about it for a moment. "I don't know... Maybe a bit."

"Yeah, me too", Malik said. "New home, new school, new people..."

"New problems...", Marik added.

"But also new people to harass", Malik told him and the brothers laughed.

Suddenly, somebody knocked at the door to their cabin and went in.

"Odion?", Malik said as their older brother appeared.

"I just wanted to tell you two that we'll arrive in Domino soon", Odion said quickly and went away already again.

Malik and Marik looked at each other.

So, finally, they were at their destination, not knowing what would await them there. Would their life really get easier, safer, now that they were here? Or would it get more difficult, more complicated than it already was?

... They would just have to wait and see.

........................

And indeed, when Malik and Marik went on deck, they could already see the outline of the town where they'd live now. Domino City. Not too big, not too small. Just... right. The few skyscrapers there were stood out behind of all the white and gray warehouses at the harbor.

Just a few more minutes and they could go on shore after their long journey.

"Malik. Marik."

The twins turned round. Behind them stood Ishizu, her blue eyes piercing. Was she still angry at Marik?

Malik elbowed his brother and when Marik looked at him, his brown furrowed, Malik nodded in Ishizu's direction to tell his twin that he should apologize to their sister.

"Oh, uhm, Ishizu... for yesterday night... I'm-", he began, but Ishizu interrupted him.

"It's okay, Marik. You don't have to apologize", she said and put a strand of her pitch black hair behind her ear. "I think I wasn't angry only because of you. It was just the stress of the last few days that made me be on edge. You know, it's not exactly easy for all of us to be stuck on a ship for almost one week. And then the whole thing about_ that_ book... More and more people read it, more and more people get interested in mystic creatures and the chance that somebody will eventually find out what you are increases. I'm just... worried...

"Anyways. As we're arriving shortly, I suggest you get ready for that", Ishizu added and went back inside.

Marik and Malik looked at each other and sighed.

They hadn't paid much attention to the news lately and had hoped that people would slowly lose interest in mystic creatures; far from it. On the contrary, people got even more interested in them and the chance that people in Japan didn't know about the book was slim.

"What was the reason for moving to Japan again?", Marik asked and walked to the railing. Malik followed him.

"Well, apparently Ishizu and Odion thought that people in our hometown knew too much about us, that if they'd get wind of the whole mystic creatures stuff then they could easily recognize us as what we are. And as it also was one of our parents wishes that the two of us listen to our siblings, we had no choice but to do what they say...", Malik muttered matter-of-factly, looking down into the crystal clear water of the ocean, where fish were struggling to get away from the boat. "Mother and father had thought Ishizu and Odion would know what's best for us..."

"And, do they?", Marik questioned and looked at his brother.

A gust of wind made the sandy hair of the tanned twins wave.

Malik thought about it for a moment, before he looked up at Marik and answered, smiling. "Not always, but with increasing frequency."

...................

A little later, the ship had arrived in the harbor of Domino City, the Ishtar family had touched Japanese ground and their possessions were already put in a truck.

The four Ishtars took a cab that would drive them to their new house, as they had no car yet. In the taxi, Ishizu sat on the passenger seat, Odion sat in the back in the middle and Marik and Malik sat at the windows, looking out at Domino's streets. There were lots of people, some of them busy looking businessmen, others window shopping going women.

The cab also passed by a huge building with ancient looking pillars and the label "Domino City Museum of ancient cultures".

Marik and Malik also noticed the many placards there were, all dominated by one company: The Kaiba Corp., one of Japans top game companies.

Shortly afterwards, the taxicab stopped in front of a big Mediterranean looking house; the Ishtars' new residence.

"Wow", the twins said as they laid eyes on their new home. "Awesome."

They opened the gate that led into the garden and to the house and preceded, while Ishizu paid the taxidriver and Odion got their baggage out of the car trunk.  
At the front door, the boys stopped. Ishizu caught up with them and unlocked the door.

"It's sort of a compromise for having to move here", she explained. "Something, that shall embellish the starting time here."

But Marik and Malik didn't listen to her anymore. They were too amazed by the house.

Ishizu was glad that they liked it and so was Odion. They didn't have this comfort in Egypt and now that they'd had to leave their beloved country, they wanted to have at least some comfort here.

After Marik and Malik had decided which room was whose, they left to inspect the surroundings...

**-----------------------------------------------To be continued----------------------------------------------**

***sigh* I know. This chapter really isn't the best one I've written up to now and it's short (compared to the last ones, anyway and considering how long it took me to write it), but it was sort of a filler which should make some things clear, like the effect of the pills Malik and Marik take and I really gave my best at explaining that. (I hope I succeeded. =) )  
****So, the ending was kinda rushed, but finally, all main characters are in Domino City (Who would have thought that that would take 6 chapters?).  
Surely, you're curious about what will happen next, aren't you? ^^  
****Ah, the other day, I had such a great idea for later chapters of this story, what means that I'll soon (okay, that's still more than five chapters away, I think) have to decide if I stick to my old idea, which I also like, or if I'll take the new idea... Hmm... Well, thankfully, that decision isn't to be made now. I'll see what I'll do when it's time to decide. ^____^  
****And like every chapter, I also remind you of reviewing for this chapter. I know, some of you certainly annoys the fact that I always say that, but all I want is to hear what you think. ^^ At this place I want to thank my reviewers. Thank you! Your reviews always encourage me.  
****Also I want to say that constructive criticism is allowed, btw. Please tell me if you see any grammar or spelling mistakes.**

**Oh, and I have made a poll where you can prefer which of the following things you prefer in a story:  
****-few dialog and many details  
****-a lot of dialog and few details  
****-an equal part of details and dialog  
****Please vote on my profile page. ^___^**

**That's all for now.  
****I really try to update the next chapter faster.**

**Don't forget to review!**

**~Crystal of Moonlight~**


	8. Chapter 7 Glimpses and defense

**Hello everyone! ^____^**

**I gave my best to update as quickly as I could so that you don't have to wait for ages again.**

**And thank you for all the reviews!**

**Now, enjoy the chapter!**

**Chapter 7 Glimpses and defense**

**The eyes of love are blind.  
****That is because love is a positive feeling through and through.  
It drowns out all negative feelings such as disgust and hate.  
It makes people overlook all negative features the one they love has, although those features are rationally recognizable.**

**----------------------------------------------Ryou and Bakura--------------------------------------------**

Ryou and Bakura hadn't exchanged a single word the entire day. It was Saturday, which meant that Ryou had no school today and the two vampires were both at home. Whenever they happened to meet in the house, neither one of them knew how to approach the other; both were angry at each other as well as at themselves.

Ryou didn't know what to do. He had never been angry at Bakura for a long time. Normally, Ryou, the nice and polite guy he was, would already have apologized to his taller look alike, but he was just so confused at the moment. Should it really be him who apologized? Why not Bakura? Was it worth to apologize to the other at all?

And Bakura? He was still struggling with himself about what was right and what was wrong and about what he was supposed to do now. It was difficult for him to find the answers to that. Never before had he planned on apologizing to someone (and much less had he done it), and now after Ryou had slapped him yesterday, he really didn't feel like apologizing to Ryou anymore.

What was wrong with the two white haired vampires?

That's what they asked themselves, too. What was it that had brought them into this situation?

Was it the fact that Bakura and Ryou had realized that there wasn't much love between them left? Was it the fact that the more Bakura tried to make Ryou love him more, the less Ryou loved him in the end? Was it only Bakura's fault?

As much Ryou would love to blame everything on Bakura, he knew that it wasn't completely his look alike's fault.

//Maybe I'm just too... demanding//, Ryou thought, lying on his bed, his arms crossed behind his head. //After all it's always me who carps at Bakura and his way of living. Never has he carped at me... He might not have respected the way of living I'd chosen, but he didn't tell me what to do. I told him to stop hunting humans and instead to act like a human all along. But why should he do that? Why in God's name should he stop that after he's done it for more than three thousand years?

//He is no human after all. And neither am I...// Ryou paused. //It's natural that he is like he is, that he acts like he does. He simply does what his instincts tell him, what he is supposed to do. And I?

//I always try to deny what I am. I try to act like a human as best as I can and as possible as that is, but there are things I can't do anymore and that makes me inhuman...//

He let his hand run through his white mane with a sigh. //I always want him to respect what I do and decide, but I don't even do that for him. I don't have the right to demand things I don't even do myself...

//It is possibly my fault that we ended up like this. All is... my fault. My behavior led us and our relationship to where we are now.//

Sighing, Ryou stood up and went downstairs. Bakura was nowhere to be seen or heard, which meant he was apparently out. Ryou decided that he wanted to use this cloudy Saturday afternoon to go for a walk and look what Domino City had to offer.

So he took his light blue jacket, his bunch of keys and his purse and went out through the front door, locking it behind him. Then, he started walking down the street. When he'd gone to school yesterday morning, he hadn't paid that much attention to his surroundings, so he noticed only now the colorful shops and small restaurants, and the many placards of the Kaiba Corporation. The deeper he went to the inner city, the more people there were, and the more humans were staring at him.

After being a vampire for so long, Ryou should be used to the stares his beauty got by now, but he wasn't. It still made him feel uncomfortable. He simply wasn't the person who liked to be the center of attention.

Ignoring the stares as best as he could, Ryou walked on, until he reached a small house with a pink shining sign on it that told people that this was a game shop. The Kame game shop.

As Ryou liked to play games from time to time, he decided to go in there and take a look at the products of the small shop.

A bell sounded when he entered and at the sound, a tri-colored head shot up from behind the counter. The boy with the tri-colored hair rubbed his eyes; apparently, he had been sleeping.

"Can I help... you...", he trailed off when he realized who had entered. "You're Bakura Ryou!", he said surprised, his amethyst eyes widened.

Ryou first thought it was the boy who had watched him suspiciously yesterday, but then he recognized that the boy was the one who sat right behind him in history class. His features were much softer than the other boy's and he looked kinder than his look alike.

Quickly, Ryou put a smile on his face. "Uhm, yeah. That's me", he said and felt slightly uncomfortable because he didn't know the boy's name. "I'm sorry, I don't know your name, but I know that you're in my history class." Ryou scratched his head and grinned sheepishly while he approached the counter slowly.

"I'm Muto Yugi!", Yugi said cheerily, his amethyst eyes sparkling.

**-------------------------------------------Yugi and Yami---------------------------------------------------**

Ryou nodded and looked around. "Say, Yugi. Is this your shop?"

"Uhm, yes. It used to belong to my grandpa, but he died, so now the shop is mine", Yugi explained quickly. Of course it hadn't belonged to his grandpa. Yugi didn't even know his grandpa or whether he ever had one. This was just what he always told people when they asked him about the shop.

"Oh, I'm sorry", Ryou told him.

Yugi shook his head, a smile on his face. "No reason to be sorry. It's okay", he said.

"Do you live all alone here then?", Ryou asked. "Or are your parents-"

"My parents are dead", Yugi explained. "And no, I don't live alone here. Yami lives here, too."

"Yami?", Ryou asked and raised an eyebrow.

"That's the boy who looks just like me", Yugi told him.

"Is he a relative of yours then? Brother? Cousin?", Ryou questioned.

"No, no. He's my friend, I mean... He's my... boyfriend", the tri-color haired boy explained, hesitantly, much to his own surprise.

//Why... did I hesitate?//, Yugi asked himself, feeling slightly guilty. //Why did I do that?//

He looked into Ryou's chocolate brown eyes and was befuddled. Was it the beauty that attracted his very attention and made it hard for him to think clear or was it the mysterious, magic aura that surrounded the white-haired boy which Yugi had already sensed in class the other day?

//I don't know what's wrong with me//, he thought.

"Ah, your boyfriend, I see", Ryou said, smiling, but Yugi believed to hear a slight disappointment in the other's words. Or was that what he hoped for?

//I have Yami//, Yugi reminded himself. //Yami...//

Suddenly, he also remembered what he'd promised his lover: that he'd try to stay away from Ryou. And now he was here, talking to the pale boy, and anything but trying to stay away from him and it made him feel guilty. As if he'd cheat on Yami; a ridiculous thought -firstly because he was just talking to Ryou and secondly because Yugi would never cheat on Yami-, but yet Yugi couldn't stop feeling that way.

But what could he do when Ryou came into the shop? He couldn't ask him to leave for no good reason. No.

Besides, what the eye does not see, the heart does not grieve over, is what they say after all...

No. That was not an option either. Yugi would never hide something from Yami, because Yami wouldn't do that either, Yugi knew. He would simply tell him that Ryou had been here and as he was a customer, he couldn't stay away from him. Yami would understand that.

Quickly, Yugi tried to distract himself from thinking and changed the subject.

"So, uhm, Ryou. Is there anything you want to buy?", he asked friendly.

Ryou merely smiled. "I'm not sure. What do you-?"

In that moment, a familiar scent hit Yugi. It smelled sweet like honey, but also fresh like forests after rain.

At the same time as Yugi turned his head slightly sideways to look through the window, Ryou turned around as well and looked out.

The only thing Yugi saw was a flash of gold and sandy or blond, disappearing around the next corner.

Although Yugi hadn't seen the source of the scent, he still knew_ what_ it was. And he was sure that it was what he thought it was.

//I have to inform Yami about that//, the small angel thought. //Maybe if I tell him that, he'll stop thinking that Ryou is a vampire...// Yugi looked at Ryou, whose back was still turned towards him. A thought came to Yugi's mind. //Has he smelled it, too?//, he asked himself while he stared at Ryou's back, one eye brow raised in thought. Why would Ryou look out there just in the moment the scent appears? Was it just a coincidence? Or was Yami in the end right with everything he'd said about Ryou?

Ryou turned round and looked at Yugi, who was examining Ryou's face.

No... Yami must be wrong. A person like Ryou could never be a vampire. Yugi had seen many vampires in his life, many. But not a single one had been like Ryou. None had looked so soft and kind and innocent. They all had had crimson eyes; none had had as gorgeous chocolate brown eyes as Ryou had...

//Stop it, Yugi!//, Yugi told himself quickly and shook his head to stop thinking that way. //Stop, stop, stop.//

"Uhm", Ryou said and glanced over his shoulder. "I'm sorry, Yugi, but I have to go now. Bye!" He gave Yugi an apologizing smile and then he turned round and left the game shop quickly.

Yugi blinked a few times, before he sighed. Did Ryou just run away from him?

**-----------------------------------------------Malik and Marik--------------------------------------------**

The Ishtar twins were walking along Domino City's streets, inspecting not only their surroundings but also their fellow citizens.

"Dude, did you see that guy?!", Marik asked his brother after they passed by a boy with spiky, tri-colored hair, who glared at them. "I've never seen anybody with such a ridiculous hairstyle."

Malik snickered. "Marik, you surely are aware that your hairstyle is similar to his, right? Just not dyed..."

"My hairstyle is nothing like his", Marik persisted. Then he decided to quickly change the subject. "But did you see that look he gave us?!"

"Yeah", Malik replied, frowning. "He obviously didn't like us and didn't even think about hiding it."

"When all people here are like him we don't even have to do anything to make ourselves disliked", Marik chuckled. "Our mere presence does that!"

Malik grinned and rolled his eyes at his brother.

At that moment, they passed a small shop, the Kame game shop, and the twins grabbed the chance to glance through the window while walking past it.

Something white, snow white, caught Malik's attention immediately and as the figure turned round, he got lost in two chocolate brown pools, seemingly unendingly deep, framed by white bangs and pale skin. Skin, looking as soft as silk and Malik imagined touching it, only to see whether it really would be that soft.

He was brought out of his thoughts by his brother, who was laughing and dragging him by his arm around the next corner.

"Did you see the guy there in the shop? He had the same hairstyle as that other guy we just met", Marik said. "If all people here are such freaks, the two of us might be lost in the crowd."

But Malik didn't even hear what Marik was saying; in his mind, he was still looking through the window, into the shop, and eying the beautiful being he laid eyes on there. Those two chocolate brown orbs...

"Malik?"

...the pale skin...

"Malik?!"

...and the snow white hair...

"MALIK!"

Someone grabbed Malik by his shoulder and forced him rudely to walk some steps backwards and to snap out of his thoughts. Confused, the Egyptian blinked and faced his twin brother.

"What?", he asked.

Marik's face was pale and worried.

"You've nearly been overrun by a fucking car, Malik, you idiot! And you ask 'what'?!", he shouted at his brother and shook him. "Don't you have eyes or what? What's wrong?"

Malik looked away from his brother and noticed that he was standing directly on the curbside, in front of him a busy street. One more step and he'd be mush.

Malik gulped.

Marik looked at him, his eyebrow raised, his purple eyes questioning.

"I... just spaced out...", Malik explained.

"'Spaced out'?", Marik growled and let go of his brother.

The two boys just stared at another for a few moments.

"Come on, we better head home", Marik said. "Or else Ishizu will start worrying."

Malik nodded.

"And stop spacing out, okay?", Marik demanded.

"Yeah, yeah", Malik said, but in his thoughts he was already in front of the game shop again. He just couldn't stop thinking about what he'd just seen...

**---------------------------------------------Ryou and Bakura---------------------------------------------**

Ryou quickly left the game shop and walked away from it into the direction where the tanned boy with the lavender eyes had just disappeared.

The lavender eyes... he just had to see them again...

He walked and walked and hoped to find the boy, but unsuccessful.

Sighing, Ryou decided to go home. Maybe Bakura was at home now.

He had to talk to him badly. Ryou couldn't and didn't want to stand the distance and iciness which was between them anymore. They had to clarify things once and for all.

**-----------------------------------------------Yugi and Yami-----------------------------------------------**

As the sky darkened already, Yami returned.

"Hi, Yami", Yugi welcomed his taller look-alike as he approached the counter.

"Hey, Yugi", Yami said and gave Yugi a quick kiss on his cheek.

"I have to tell you something", they both suddenly said.

For a moment, they looked at each other.

"You first", Yami said and hopped onto the counter to sit. Yugi nodded.

With what should he start? That Ryou was here or that there were werewolves in the town?

"I have two things to tell you", Yugi said and Yami waited for him to continue, looking at the smaller tri-color haired boy, who was sitting on a chair behind the counter, toying nervously with his fingers.

"Yami, earlier... Ryou was here", he began, looking down at his lap. Yami's eye twitched at the name. "I know you said I should stay away from him and I promised that I would, but how am I supposed to do that when he comes into the shop? I couldn't just say: 'No, everyone but you is allowed to come in', now could I?"Yugi looked up at Yami.

"What did he want?", Yami asked, and his voice made clear that he didn't like the fact that the white-haired guy was here. "Did he do something to you?"

Yugi sighed. "Yami, this is a game shop. What do you think he was here for? Me?"

Yami didn't answer.

"No, surely not because of me... I think he wanted to buy something", Yugi explained. "And no, he didn't do anything to me", Yugi continued. "He seems to be such a nice guy, he would never harm a fly."

"Exactly, Yugi", Yami said and Yugi looked at him, confused. "He **seems** to be a nice guy, but in truth, he isn't."

"But you don't know that!", Yugi protested and jumped off his chair.

Yami groaned. "Yugi, we've had this already yesterday and I thought we agreed that you would stay away from him and that's that."

"Yes, but-"

"No 'but's, Yugi", Yami interrupted. "This guy is dangerous, believe me, just this one time. I am only concerned about you. I don't want anything to happen to you, because I would never forgive myself. I promised you that nothing bad would happen to you as long as I am here and I try to keep my promise.

And Ryou is definitely a danger. Yugi, please, understand my situation."

"But, Yami", Yugi begged, desperate.

"Yugi. I know you think that Ryou is not a vampire and that he is kind and friendly. And yes, I admit, it's true that he seems like that. But all the signals that he is a vampire are there. The paleness, the beauty... and then also the incident with that Kazumi girl", Yami said.

"Coincidence", Yugi muttered and looked down at his lap again.

"Really? Merely a coincidence? Do you really think so?"

"...Yes."

"Okay. Let's say he has nothing to do with the disappearing of Kazumi and it was a rapist or a murderer who abducted her", Yami said. "What about the paleness and the beauty and the way he attracts everyone's eyes in a mysterious way?"

"Why can't a normal human be pretty and pale?", Yugi questioned. "Why do you think that he is a vampire only because of that?"

Yami sighed. "Okay, let's stop this. I say, we should keep a watching brief over him and find out whether he is a vampire or not. Nevertheless, I beg you to stand clear of him as long as I am not with you."

"Sure. I promised you that already, even though I think it's unnecessary", Yugi said.

Yami smiled and nodded. "Thank you, Yugi. Now, there was another thing you wanted to tell me?"

"Yes. I think, well, actually, I am sure that there are werewolves in town. I smelled them", Yugi explained. "I would recognize this honey-forest scent everywhere..."

"Yes, I've seen them", Yami told him.

"What? Really?", Yugi asked, surprised.

"Yeah. I was walking along the street when I passed them. They were two, two tanned boys, sandy hair", Yami said. "Perhaps sixteen or seventeen years old."

"And? What are we going to do?", Yugi asked. "Do you think they'll stay here? Do you think they'll cause trouble?"

Trouble... that could mean so many things. Killing humans, showing humans their true identity, to name a few possibilities.

"I'm not sure, Yugi", Yami replied. "We should shadow them, like we always do when creatures like them are in town. And if they are about to cause trouble, we have to step in, like we're supposed to."

Yugi gulped. "It's been quite a while since we stepped in...", he muttered.

Yami sighed and closed his eyes. "Yes. All too often, we have turned a blind eye to less bad happenings. As long as a creature has not revealed what it really was and as long as no human was killed, we let them go."

"Against what we actually are supposed to do...", Yugi mumbled.

"Annihilate them", Yami said through gritted teeth.

"Exactly", Yugi whispered.

Yes, they, as angels, were supposed to destroy those evil beings in the interests of humanity.

Both Yami and Yugi were angels for a long time now; Yugi about a century, Yami way longer. The two of them had destroyed numerous creatures and in their early years even humans by accident. That had made them more cautious. They watched the creatures thoroughly before they destroyed them and as time went by, fewer and fewer inhuman beings were killed by their hands as the two tri-color haired angels had stopped destroying those creatures for what they were and instead destroyed them only when they did something that constituted a threat for the humans or that would give away what they really were.

For three years now, Yami and Yugi were based in Domino City and up to now, they had met many mystic creatures in this region of Japan, but most often than not it had been enough to warn them and tell them to go away. Whatever happened to them in other regions where other angels were based was none of Yami and Yugi's business.

Not many creatures had put up resistance and started a fight, which was good for Yami and Yugi as they didn't like fighting unless it was really necessary. Those that had resisted, had lost the fight due to the lack of knowledge of an angel's might and power.

"Yami?", Yugi began. "Do you think it could be possible that these werewolves are at fault for Kazumi's death?" Yugi still didn't want to surrender as for Ryou's defense, because he simply couldn't be convinced that it was possible that Ryou was a vampire.

Yami knew that. And he hated that Yugi tried to defend Ryou.

"Sure, everything is possible", Yami said and took a deep breath. Then, he jumped off of the counter and walked to the front door. There, he stopped.

"But let me tell you one thing, Yugi", Yami said softly. "Like I told you countless times, all I want is your safety. I don't want to command you what to think with regard to Ryou, I simply don't want you to be in danger. Perhaps I am too cautious...

As for Ryou, think what you want to think, Yugi. Defend him. But never forget I didn't warn you of the danger. You don't know that guy and what he might be capable of. Never forget on whose side you really are. In all your years as an angel, you should know by now that you can't be suspicious enough, that everyone could possibly be your enemy or rather the humans we have to protect's enemy. It is our instinct to be suspicious..."

Yami opened the door and faced the darkness of the night.

"You should think about all that, Yugi", he said, before he walked out and closed the door behind him.

Yugi looked into the direction where Yami had disappeared.

He knew that Yami was right with what he'd said: That everyone could be their enemy. Yes, Yugi knew that... But Ryou? Could the beautiful boy with the snow white hair be a... monster? A vampire?

He couldn't imagine the boy like that, with crimson eyes and fangs and his hands covered in the blood of innocent humans... no, that was unimaginable.

Sighing, Yugi laid his head on the counter, his brow furrowed in thought.

He didn't defend Ryou to anger Yami. Yugi did it, because he thought it was right. And he hated the fact that it made Yami angry. But what else was he supposed to do?

**----------------------------------------------To be continued-----------------------------------------------**

**Hmm, what is Yugi supposed to do? What will he do? What do you think?**

**So, now almost everyone has seen or at least got a glimpse of each other. Don't worry, they all will really meet each other soon. ^___^ **

**I'm sorry if the chapter was a bit confusing. I also noticed that I repeat myself often. So, I'm also sorry for that. It's just that I want to explain everything precisely, so that everyone gets what I mean (and I probably achieve the exact opposite ^^; ).**

**Oh, well. I tell you, the more exciting chapters are not far away. =D**

**Did you like this chapter? Are there any grammar/spelling mistakes? Please tell me!**

**Please review, because reviews make me happy! Anonymous reviews are welcome, too, of course! ^_____^**

**See you in the next chapter!**

**~Crystal of Moonlight~**


	9. Chapter 8 Insight

**Finally! An update! ^___^**

**Sorry for letting you wait again such a long time. If you want to hear my excuses, look at my profile page after reading this chapter. ^^ **

**But now, let's get started!**

**"...." = talking**

**//....// = thinking**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! ( T-T Why did you have to remind me of that fact?...)**

**Chapter 8 Insight**

**Angels have no philosophy but love.**

**~Adeline Cullen Ray**

**How do the angels get to sleep when the devil leaves the porch light on? **

**~Tom Waits,**

* * *

"...You do know you don't have much time anymore, do you?", a figure sitting in a boat surrounded by the pitch-black darkness of the night questioned. The figure was gleaming mysteriously by themselves, their shine reflecting on the surface of the deep pool of nothingness below.

A sigh sounded through the silence. It came from another figure, barely noticeable in the blackness as they didn't gleam. "Of course I know", the black figure muttered. "I know it all too well.... And that's the problem."

"I cannot understand why there is a problem. You knew this point of time would come. You knew it your whole life, or almost your whole life anyway. The decision was made the moment you got here", the gleaming figure told its opposite.

"Yes, that is true...", the person in the complete darkness said.

"What else is there that needs to be decided yet?", the gleaming one asked, its brow furrowed.

"I... I think I cannot go and leave him here. It's... not fair", the figure hided by the darkness mumbled.

"And how fair is your behavior towards me?", the person in the boat questioned, louder than intended. "You have chosen me a long time ago, way before you've met him. Back then, you and I, we've promised each other that we will always wait for each other and that there will be no one else except for the two of us."

The black figure nodded silently.

"And then, I was forced to leave this place and you met that boy", the other continued. "He was new, confused and helpless. He needed someone to show him how everything works, someone to be there for him at the beginning. You came here to ask me whether or not I allowed you to help him. I did allow that. And I ignored the fact that you soon wanted more than to merely help him, more than to be his friend", the figure paused, thoughtful, giving the person in the shadows of the night a chance to say something. But they didn't say something, so the gleaming figure went on.

"Yes, I ignored that fact, although it was hard as it was like a thorn in my eye. It burned and hurt, though not physically, but mentally. I don't know whether you cared-"

"I did care, I still do!", the black person defended themselves and took a step forward.

"Whatever. Fact is, that you should have left him long ago. You knew the longer you to would be together, the harder the goodbye would be in the end. You also were supposed to tell him that you had to go sometime, long before he was supposed to leave this place. You knew all of it", the gleaming figure said, serious.

"Yes...", the person in the blackness whispered.

"You have not done him any good with staying so long, nor have done your soul. You either are a very egoistical person or a huge coward. Everyone has to leave one day, it's natural. Staying longer than meant makes you suffer, possibly even unconsciously. Your soul will rot, it will be destroyed. And then, you will become just like the creatures you despise so much."

The figure in the darkness swallowed audibly. All of it was true.

"I won't wait for you that much longer. I told you long ago I wouldn't wait for you forever. You have to make a decision! I or he? Choose, what is more important for you!"

"It's nor fair...", the black figure protested.

"I already told you, you haven't been fair either", the gleaming person said. "Make a decision, before it is too late!", it demanded and slowly, the boat began to drift away. The person in the darkness watched into its direction, until the gleam disappeared in what seemed to be black fog.

**---------------------------------------------Ryou and Bakura ---------------------------------------------**

Instead of walking home directly, Ryou had wandered absentmindedly through Domino City until it was getting dark already. He had been thinking all the time, thinking about what he should say to Bakura, pondering whether he should apologize to his taller look-alike or not and more than once he caught himself thinking involuntarily of those lavender eyes he had seen merely for a split second, although he had more important things to think about.

..Still he couldn't get the eyes out of his mind. Something about them was special. When Ryou had looked right into them, it was as if they pulled him magically closer.

Suddenly, Ryou realized that he was almost at home by now and he hadn't thought about what to say to Bakura now. Sighing, the white-haired boy approached his house. The lights were on, so the other vampire was probably at home.

"Alright now...", he muttered to himself and opened the door. He had to clarify things with Bakura once and for all now. He would apologize to the other for their relationship's sake. If Bakura then would apologize to Ryou as well, all the better.

When the younger of the two vampires entered the living room, Bakura was lying on the couch, watching TV or pretending to do so at least. Quietly, Ryou walked towards the armchair next to the couch and sat down. Staring down at his lap, the boy considered how to break the awkward silence and start a conversation.

For a few minutes, neither of the two vampires said something, until Bakura groaned and stood up from where he was lying.

Ryou bit on his lip. "Wait, Bakura", he muttered and stood up as well. "I..."

Sighing, Bakura stopped, his back facing Ryou. "What now, Ryou?", he asked, his voice cold and bitter. "What is it you want to say?"

Ryou hesitated. Never had Bakura been that cold to him. It startled him a little and he noticed how much they had really grown apart from each other. Was it even worth trying to fix their relationship at this point?

"I... I'm sorry", he said and looked at his feet.

"Sorry, huh?", Bakura asked, turning around. "What should you be sorry for? The only evil here is me. I am the one who is always at fault for everything. According to you anyways."

Ryou looked up and met his look-alike's gaze. "Bakura...It's... I just... I've been thinking."

"Believe it or not, I have been thinking as well", Bakura told him without showing any emotion in his voice. "But back to you. You said you were sorry, didn't you?"

"Yes, I did. I am sorry", Ryou said, furrowing his brow. "For everything. For slapping you, for demanding for something I don't even do myself, for not accepting you and myself as well..." He paused.

"Hng... Go on", Bakura mumbled.

Sighing, Ryou continued. "I never wished to become a vampire. I didn't have a say in this at all. You came and changed my life."

"I was selfish", Bakura said.

"Indeed you were. You still are, Bakura", Ryou muttered softly and earned a glare from the other. "I have never been asked how I feel about all this. The way my parents brought me and my siblings up and the way they told us stories about vampires and werewolves and such, I always felt that those beings were the worst. You couldn't get any lower. I never had heard stories about vampires falling in love with humans. No one has prepared me for that, you know?" A tiny smile flashed over Ryou's face. A sad smile.

"I guess...", Bakura muttered, not really showing whether he was interested in what Ryou was saying or not.

"Realizing that I became a vampire, I felt humiliated. I didn't have the chance to say goodbye to anyone. I could never go back to my family. Never. If anyone would've got to know what had happened to me... they'd have killed me... they'd have burned me at the stake or something.

I was so unprepared... so surprised...

It all happened too quickly for me to understand back then. When I looked into your face the moment you attacked me, I did not think that I looked into the face of a lover but death's face. When I looked into your crimson eyes, the thought that they were filled with love and passion never crossed my mind. To me it seemed as if your eyes screamed: "Bloodlust!" I... simply did not understand your motives, Bakura."

"My... motives, huh?", Bakura repeated.

"But after some time, I understood, of course", Ryou went on. "I understood your motives. And yourself."

Bakura shook his head and laughed. "No, Ryou. That's exactly the problem. You think you understand me and my motives. You think you know everything. But the truth is, you will never understand me. Never."

Ryou looked at the taller white haired vampire with wide eyes, not sure what to do now. "And why is that?", he whispered.

Bakura shrugged and crossed his arms over his chest. "It's a fact."

The smaller vampire nibbled on his lower lip. "Then tell me. What were your motives?"

"Why the hell should I tell you, Ryou?", Bakura asked.

Groaning, Ryou ran his fingers through his hair. "Well, why should you not tell me?! Even if you haven't got it yet. I'm trying to fix this relationship, okay?! I'm giving my best to not leave you right now, to stay with you and clarify everything, but you... you don't do anything to support me and stuff. Do you want me to go or what?"

"Tsk. Of course not", Bakura answered, shaking his head and staring at his feet.

None of them said anything for the following minutes.

Should Ryou be relieved that Bakura didn't want him to go? Or had Ryou hoped that Bakura wanted to get rid of him so that it wasn't Ryou himself to end this relationship? Ryou was not sure what he wanted at that time...

"Bakura?", Ryou began and dared to ask a question that has been on his mind for an eternity. "Have you... ever regretted that you changed me?"

Bakura looked up into Ryou's dark chocolate brown eyes. His brow furrowed, the taller vampire left the living room and went upstairs into his bedroom without replying to Ryou.

"Have I?", Bakura wondered and slumped down on his bed.

**-------------------------------------------------Yugi and Yami---------------------------------------------**

Dead on time, Yugi locked the front door of the game shop and turned the sign so that it showed "Closed" to everyone who'd look at it from the outside. Staying there inside the shop in front of the door, he looked out into the dark sky that was dotted with stars.

It was a warm night, the sky was clear, so Yugi decided to go outside into the back garden and watch the stars. Yami was still not at home, but Yugi didn't worry. This wasn't unusual after all. Yami took a walk alone almost every weekend. He sometimes needed that.

Lying there in the grass, Yugi wondered what the future would bring. How long would he have to stay on earth? What did he have to do to go back to heaven?

No one had told him how long this would take. They'd simply said that this was his second chance on earth.

Reaching his hand out for the stars, Yugi remembered what had happened the first time he'd been up there.

_*flashback* _

_He didn't remember anything the moment he opened his eyes. The young teen with the spiky tri-colored hair lay on his stomach, his face buried in a soft white substance. Slowly, he sat up and looked around. Everything was white and bright. And there were people, wearing white gowns. They sat around him at an enormous desk that formed a large semicircle. In front of him was something like a throne. //A castle?//, he wondered. //Where am I? What is this place?//_

_Suddenly, someone shouted: "Stand up!" and the people in the semicircle stood up from their seats. In the same moment, a huge man wearing a fanciful white gown as well as a long cape entered Yugi's field of view. //If this really is a castle, then he's definitely the king.//_

_The "king" sat down on the throne and looked at all the people around Yugi, one by one, until his eyes remained on the young boy. _

"_Stand up", he told him. Yugi gulped and did as the man said, his knees shaking under him. _

"_Yugi Mutou, right?", the mighty seeming man began loudly, his voice echoing through the silence. _

_Wide eyed, Yugi nodded._

"_Born on 4__th__ July 1826, died on 25__th__ December 1842" , the man continued._

"_Died?...", Yugi whispered startled, his words barely audible. "I'm... dead?" The memories of what had happened flowed into Yugi's mind avalanche-like all of a sudden, causing him to gasp for breath. _

_Now everything made sense. This place, these people as well as this whole situation... Yugi understood now. _

_He bit down on his lower lip. So afterlife exists indeed. _

_What would happen to him now? Was this his judgment? The judgment about whether he would go to heaven or hell? These people definitely were something like angels, and the man he'd first assumed being a king was actually their leader. _

"_Yugi", the angel leader spoke. "You have done something that selfish, something that foolish, you don't deserve neither into heaven nor hell."_

_Yugi's eyes widened. Where else should he go, now that he was dead? _

"_But... what will happen to me then? I...", the tri-color haired boy whispered, frightened, panic rushing over him. _

"_Yugi", the mighty man began. "You committed suicide. You took your own life. Don't you know that life is a present? You shouldn't have thrown it away like that. There are people out there who are sick, fatally ill. They know they are going to die. Of course they fear that point of time, but they try to live their lives as well as in any way possible until that certain point. But you... you had years of health ahead, a long life. And you ended it yourself, because all you thought about was yourself."_

"_That's not true!", Yugi piped up. "I... I did not think only about myself. All the people around me, my family... they are better off without me."_

"_Not a single moment did you care about what would happen after your death!", the man shouted. _

_Afraid, Yugi cowered down, embracing his knees. What the man said was not true. He hadn't done this for himself, he'd done this for his family. He'd thought this was the best thing he could do..._

"_Your mother, what shall she do now? After the death of your father, Yugi, she had to raise you and your siblings alone. She had to bring you up and work on the field. And now her oldest son took his own life..."_

_Yugi closed his eyes. He knew exactly that his mother would grieve. His siblings would, too. Or maybe they did already. He didn't know how much time had passed since he'd hung himself in the derelict barn close to his home, so he couldn't tell. _

"_I was weak...", Yugi explained softly. "I was just a burden. I couldn't work on the field or do other exhausting work. I couldn't help my mother with anything. I was useless. But my siblings... they could help my mother. The food I ate... it was better if they'd eat it. They deserved it more than I did."_

"_You were not useless", the angel leader told him and approached him, his steps echoing in the silence. "Your presence made everyone happy. You were the one your siblings could ask for advise, you were the one who told them stories, you were the one who could comfort them while your mother could not." _

_Yugi looked down at the soft white substance he was sitting upon. "I was depressed...because of all that.... the death of my father... my uselessness... Depression drove me into suicide."_

_When the feet of the man in the fanciful gown where right in front of him, Yugi looked up._

"_Stand up", the leader said._

_Yugi did as he was told. When he stood, the man put a hand on his shoulder. _

"_Yugi Mutou, we, the Holy Council of angels, have decided to give you a second chance in order to be able to go to heaven", he explained. "You will be send back to earth..."_

And there he was right now, his arm still reaching for the stars, for heaven. He was not a human, but an angel whose task was to eliminate all evil beings that threatened the existence of humanity.

Before his suicide, Yugi surely hadn't considered that this was going to happen.

Did he regret taking his life? Yes... somehow he did.

But now, as an angel he was happier than he'd ever been when he'd still been a human. Being an angel, he wasn't weak and he could help people. He wasn't a burden anymore. He could take care of himself as well as of other people. He'd never felt like this when he'd been human. He was useful now and it made him happy. Plus, if he wasn't an angel, he'd never have met Yami...

Slowly, he let his arm fall down onto his stomach.

Suddenly, a soft kiss was placed on his cheek.

Surprised, Yugi looked to his right. Yami was laying there.

"Yami", Yugi began. "I hadn't noticed you."

"Seems as if you've been thinking. I didn't want to disturb that's why I kept quiet", Yami told his smaller look-alike.

Smiling, Yugi nodded. "Yes, I've been thinking. I guess you've been thinking as well? You've been gone for a long time."

"I suppose I was...", Yami mumbled.

"Did you find out whether the werewolves are still in town?", Yugi asked.

"Huh?" The taller tri-color haired angel had been lost in thought for a moment or two.

"The werewolves?", Yugi repeated. "Are they still in town? Did you find out anything about that?"

"No. Not yet", Yami muttered.

"I see", Yugi said.

"We can start searching them tomorrow. It shouldn't be too difficult. I'd recognize their smell immediately within a radius of five-hundred or a thousand meters", Yami told Yugi. "And as soon as we've found them, we can begin shadowing them. Is that okay with you?"

Yugi nodded. "Sure... But... Things could get a little complicated on school days, don't you think?"

"Hmm?"

"Well, we both have to go to school and then neither of us can shadow them", Yugi explained while Yami put an arm around the smaller angel's neck.

"Ah, I don't think it'd hurt if I'd miss a week or two", Yami whispered. //Then I won't have to listen to the others' constant jabbering about vampires and werewolves...//

"Yeah, I think so, too, but if they stay longer...", Yugi trailed off.

"If they stay longer and haven't done anything up to that point of time, we surely don't need to watch their every step", Yami said.

"That's right", Yugi muttered while Yami placed a kiss on his cheek.

"Although...", the smaller of the two continued. "They might have already done something."

Yami narrowed his eyes slightly. "Are you alluding to Kazumi's death?"

"Maybe", Yugi said and looked Yami into his eyes.

Yami sighed. Yugi could be stubborn at times. He didn't even want to accept that there was a possibility that Ryou Bakura, the new guy at school, could have something to do with the death of this girl...

Yami was convinced that that guy was a vampire. The mysterious air he had, the looks, everything matched. Sure, there were also lots of humans who were mysterious and attractive, but still... Ryou was different. He had to be a vampire. Yami had been an angel here on earth for such a long time already, so that he had lots of experience, more experience than Yugi had, with those creatures.

"Well, Yugi", Yami began. "You have your opinion and I have mine. You think the werewolves are the cause and you know my theory, don't you?"

Yugi nodded. "I know, I know. ...And I can understand that you think Ryou is a vampire, but Yami... He's such a nice person. He-"

"You don't even know him truly", Yami interrupted.

"That may be true, but I can tell that he is not evil", Yugi told him firmly. "Even... even if he is indeed a vampire, he is not the kind of person who'd kill humans..."

"...Well. I don't want to argue with you about this matter anymore, Yugi. It won't do any good. It would be best if we would simply keep an eye on him as well as on the werewolves, okay?", Yami suggested.

"Okay", Yugi smiled. He, too, didn't want to argue with Yami about that matter anymore and he was happy that it seemed as if Yami didn't take the fact that Yugi defended Ryou that serious any longer.

**-----------------------------------------------Malik and Marik--------------------------------------------**

When Malik and Marik came back home from their tour around Domino City, their siblings were waiting for them. Before the twins even had the chance to open the door, Ishizu was already standing in front of them, her hands at her hip, her face worried and her right foot tapping impatiently on the floor.

"Finally!", Ishizu exclaimed. "Thank Ra, you found the way back! Odion and I already thought you got lost and we had to go and find you ourselves."

Marik rolled his eyes and looked at his brother, whose expression was similar.

"Come on, Ishizu", Malik began. "We're no little kids anymore, y'know?"

"Yeah, sis. You're worrying way too much about the two of us", Marik continued. "We're sixteen, we can survive some hours without you, really." He looked at Malik and couldn't help but grin while saying that, as his brother had almost been driven over. But what their siblings eyes did not see, their hearts did not grieve over. "Even in a new city, okay?", Marik added.

Ishizu looked at Odion, who stood behind her. The oldest of the Ishtars merely shrugged, saying "They have a point..." and went into the living room.

Ishizu sighed and smiled. "I know, I know, boys. You've grown up, haven't you?"

"Not really", the twins replied in unison and laughed. Then, they headed upstairs to their rooms, leaving Ishizu standing in the hallway, looking after them.

She felt pity for her brothers. From the entire Ishtar family, the fate of the twins was the hardest. Of course, for everyone who didn't know them and the tragedy of their life it seemed as if Malik and Marik were happy and normal teenagers. However, deep inside, she knew, if you looked just far enough under the perfect faུade, you could see that the past had left its mark. They had to pass through so much sorrow, they had to see their parents die... And back then, they were mere small children, so innocent, so... cute even. How could the soul of a five-year old possibly cope with all that?

It was a mystery to Ishizu. But her brothers had always been fighters, they had come through everything up to that exact moment. Even in the worst times in the life of the four Ishtar siblings, the two of them could make everyone around them smile. Sure, Ishizu and Odion had had it hard, too. The two of them had to grow up faster than people their age. When their parents died, Ishizu had to take over the role of a mother and Odion suddenly had to provide for a family of four since they had no relatives, who could care for them.

Neither Odion nor Ishizu had gotten the chance to go out and meet people their age since then. No, the two oldest Ishtar children had no choice but to care for two werewolves.

Indeed, it had been a hard time for all of them. The older the twins got, the harder it would be. They had minds of their own, often started their own small rebellions and didn't obey their siblings, as the two merely were siblings to them, even after all they had done for them. Ishizu and Odion could never replace their parents, no matter how hard they tried.

Ishizu sighed. This was not the right time for self-pity. They came here, to Japan, for the twins' sake, after all, hoping that mystic creatures were no big talking point over here as they were in the rest of the world. As long as Malik and Marik were safe, Ishizu would be happy, because it was one of her parents' last wishes that the twins should be safe.

"Hey sis!", Marik called from upstairs and brought Ishizu out of her thoughts all of a sudden.

"Hmm, what is it?", she asked and looked up to the top of the stairs, where her brother was standing.

"What is there for supper?", Marik questioned.

A thud was heard and Malik appeared next to his brother. "So that was the really important thing you wanted to ask Ishizu?! You cop-out! Now, come back and help me with the moving cartons!" Malik seized his brother at his arm and tried to pull him into his room, but Marik remained where he was.

"Let go of me, Malik!", Marik grumbled.

Ishizu was still standing at the same place, furrowing her brow.

"Malik, I said let go of me!", Marik repeated. "Do you wanna fight?"

"No, but I want you to help me now!", Malik demanded.

"Malik!"

"Marik!"

"Boys", Ishizu said, unheard by her brothers. Sighing, she went into the living room, letting her brothers sort things out on their own. She wasn't in the mood to interfere right now.

A moment later, the doorbell rang.

Ishizu went back to where she'd just come from to answer the door. "That must be the delivery man...", she muttered.

At the top of the stairs, Marik and Malik had paused their fight.

"Did she just say _delivery man_?", Marik asked with an odd sparkle in his eyes.

"I think so", Malik answered.

"That can only mean one thing...", Marik murmured.

Quickly, the twins ran down the stairs and came to a halt behind their sister.

"That's 3,420 Yen", the delivery man said.

"Right. Malik, Marik, take the pizza", Ishizu ordered and the twins took the pizza boxes. "Here you are", Ishizu said and gave the money to the man.

"I knew it, ha!", Marik told Malik while the two of them brought the vegetarian pizzas into the almost empty living room. Only a blanket was spread on the floor. Odion and Ishizu simply hadn't had the time to arrange the furniture up to now.

"Yeah, you're a genius, bro", Malik said ironically and sat down on the blanket. And so did Marik.

Shortly afterwards, Ishizu and Odion, who had plates and cutlery with him, joined up with them and the four Ishtars ate their first meal in their new house.

They enjoyed the night, knowing that the following days would be rather stressful. The furniture had to be arranged, their possessions had to be put away and Malik and Marik would have to go to a new school. Very stressful, indeed.

**-----------------------------------------------To be continued----------------------------------------------**

**Okay! ^^ That was chapter 8. Do you know what I noticed? Nothing happened in this chapter! Is it just me or was most of it just thoughts/explanations/flashback? ... Hmm... **

**And you probably wonder what the beginning was about. Well, it's a secret. Maybe you can figure out between which persons the conversation was, if you can't then don't worry. Everything will make sense in later chapters. :D **

**3420 Yen are, btw, about 38 USD/24 GBP/25 EUR. I searched for prices of pizzas in Japan and that was the usual price for a large pizza. ^^**

**I apologize again for the long time you had to wait for this... I wonder if anybody is going to read this after 6 months of waiting time... ^^; However, I can promise, that you won't have to wait that long again for the next chapter. **

**Please tell me if my style of writing is still the same as 6 months ago or if those 6 months have affected it in a bad way.**

**~Crystal of Moonlight~**


	10. Chapter 9 Observing

**Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! **

**Chapter 9 Observing**

**Millions of spiritual creatures walk the earth  
Unseen, both when we wake and when we sleep.  
~John Milton, **_**Paradise Lost**_

**Sometimes even the flight of an angel hits turbulence. ~Astrid Alauda**

**-Yugi and Yami-**

The following day, Yami and Yugi wanted to put the plan they'd discussed the night before into action: Search the werewolves and, if they were indeed still in Domino City, observe them and if necessary, eliminate them.

It was still early on this Sunday morning, the first rays of sunshine were just touching the city, coloring the sky a soft shade of pink. Some single stars were still visible, like transparent dots on the horizon.

The two spiky-haired angels were sitting in their kitchen, going through their plan for the last time: Yugi would search in the western part of the city, Yami in the eastern part.

Finding the werewolves would be easier this way, Domino City was, after all, one of the bigger cities of Japan.

"And if they notice you, you are...?", Yami questioned Yugi for the hundredth time.

"... pretending not to shadow them. Then I'll take another route as they do. After that, I call you again and tell you where they're headed", Yugi droned out, annoyed and tired of all these questions. "Yami, it's alright now. I know our plan by heart. This is not the first time we observe avoidable evil creatures, you know? I am not a newbie anymore..."

Yami smiled. "Of course. I know that. I'm just worried is all."

"But we haven't even started the observation yet!", Yugi protested.

"I know, I know", Yami sighed. "I feel like this all the time, Yugi. Every time when we're separated. Even at school. It's just...", Yami paused. "I simply don't wanna lose you."

Yugi couldn't help but smile and even blush a little. "Oh, Yami. I don't wanna lose you either", he grinned. "But now, let's go. We have to do this!", he added, full of dynamism.

"Right", Yami agreed and the two of them put on their jackets and shoes before going outside.

It was warm this morning and Yugi enjoyed the warm, fresh air touching every angle of his face while he and his taller look-alike walked to the place where they'd meet again at noon; the Domino City museum.

"Have your cellphone?", Yami asked when the two boys reached the top of the stairs in front of the museum.

Yugi rolled his eyes at the other. "How many times shall I say `Yes, I have my cellphone with mé until you believe me?", Yugi questioned, sighing.

"Okay, okay", Yami replied and raised his arms in an innocent gesture. "I just wanted to be sure."

Yugi nodded. He knew by now that Yami could be quite cautious from time to time. Too cautious, according to his opinion. "Anything else before we start?"

The taller angel shook his head. "No. I think it's time to get going. Until noon", he told Yugi and gave him a kiss on his forehead.

"Yep, till noon", Yugi said and began to walk into the direction of the inner-city, a huge shopping area.

"Be careful!", Yami called after him. Yugi didn't answer but merely waved, his back still turned to his lover.

And then, Yugi was on his own. As much as he loved Yami, he also enjoyed the time he was separated from him. He needed his once in a while.

"Okay, let's begin", he said to himself while walking along the big shopping promenade in West Domino City.

There were hundreds of people on the street, looking into shop windows or trying to slash themself a way through the crowd.

Slow-paced, Yugi walked around, watching the people and waiting for the sweet-honey-fresh-forest-scent to appear like it did when he was in Yugi's shop.

Hours passed, but no matter how long Yugi walked around, the scent didn't appear. And it was almost noon by now.

Maybe Yami had more luck...

**-Malik and Marik-**

When the Malik woke up that morning, the sun was already high in the sky and his room was brightly lit. At first, he almost thought he was back in Egypt and this sun would beat down from its place in the sky as usually. But after a second or two, the teenager noticed that he didn't sweat and that it wasn't as hot as it should be, so he couldn't be in Egypt.

"Right... Japan. We're... in Japan", he mumbled drowsily to himself, before he got up, got dressed and trudged down into the living room where his twin brother was lounging in the armchair, zapping from one TV channel to another.

"Morning, Marik", Malik said and stopped where he was. His brother didn't react. "Morning, Marik", he repeated, a little louder this time.

"Yeah, yeah", Marik murmured and lifted a hand to show his brother that he'd noticed him.

Head-shaking, Malik went into the kitchen, where he was greeted by his older siblings.

"Morning, Malik", they said, smiling.

"Hmm, morning", Malik replied, scratching his head, still a little sleepy.

"The truck with our furniture arrived this morning", Ishizu told him. "It would be great if you helped us with bringing in the furniture and arranging it, Malik."

Sighing, Malik nodded. "Yeah, okay... What about Marik? Doesn't he have to help us, too?"

"Well, your brother did agree to help", Odion began. "But in the end, as soon as the armchair and the TV were inside the living room, he said he didn't feel well and lied down."

Malik rolled his eyes and grinned evily. "Heh, seems, like I am the one who has to put an end to his laziness if you don't do anything about it."

And with that said, he went back into the living room. Quietly, he sneaked up to the armchair his twin was sitting in lazily, grabbed the backrest and in the very same moment knocked it along with his twin over. Utterly puzzled, Marik looked up into Malik's smirking face and jumped up from where he was lying on the floor.

With clenched fist, Marik yelled at is brother. "Dude, are you crazy? Why the hell did you do that? Do you have a problem or something? If yes, then just tell me and don't try to break my neck. Jeez!"

Sighing, Malik closed his eyes, while his brother ranted on and on.

"You can't tell me to get up like a normal brother would do, noooooooo, you try to kill me, just because I lay down for a while. Who do you think you are, huh?", Marik questioned and seized his brother by his collar, looking him into his lavender eyes with a murderous glare, that would make other people run away in fear for their lives, which earned him a punch into his stomach by Malik now. Marik stumbled backwards a meter or two.

"You little-", he began, but was interrupted by Ishizu's appearance in front of him.

"Stop it, boys", she told them.

The twins looked at their sister, her blue eyes piercing and stern with a small shimmer of worry.

Marik lowered his fists and let them rest at his side. Meanwhile Malik wiped off the non-existent dust of his sleeves.

The three Ishtar siblings stood in the living room, silent. No one said a single word. No one moved. With Ishizu's appearance, the air had suddenly become heavy and cold. She had to be really angry.

"Now", Ishizu whispered, "help us and bring in the furniture."

Malik and Marik blinked and gulped. Muttering "yes", they left the living room and went outside, where the truck was parked.

/Ishizu was acting strange.../, Malik thought, while carrying the moving boxes and the furniture together with his siblings into the house. /Why was she so angry... Only because we started a small fight? No... never. Something must be going on. I wonder what./

At noon, Odion decided that he and Ishizu could manage to carry the last stuff into the house themselves and the twins could do whatever they wanted to do.

So a little later, Malik and Marik were on their way to Domino City's large shopping street. Before they'd gone, Ishizu had told them to take care of themselves, her eyes still stern and even a bit worried like earlier that day. This made Malik worry. Something was wrong, really wrong. Every time, when Ishizu acted like this, something would happen. Something...

"Malik? Maaaalik! Hoohoo!"

Malik blinked, confused. Marik was waving his hand in front of Malik's face, again and again.

"Huh? What?", Malik asked.

The other twin furrowed his brow. "You spaced out, so I thought I'd do something before you end up being almost driven over like the other day."

"Oh. Hmm."

" 'Oh. Hmm' is the only thing you say? I saved you from a horrible death and all you say is 'Oh. Hmm.'?", Marik questioned, grinning.

"Marik, didn't you notice that Ishizu acted strange?", Malik asked his brother, frowning.

"Of course I did", Marik replied, suddenly serious. "It's obvious. Something's going to happen. You think so, too, don't you, bro?"

Malik looked into his brother's purple eyes. It was almost as if those eyes were looking right into Malik's soul. There was nothing Malik could hide from those eyes.

He nodded. "Yes, that's what I think."

"Well, then let's find out what sis is worried about!", Marik announced like an adventurer.

Soon, the two Egyptians were surrounded by shops and more shops. When they passed restaurant, their stomachs began to rumble.

"You wanna eat something, Malik?", Marik asked, one eyebrow raised.

"Hmph, sure, but I have no money on me", his twin replied, shrugging.

"Oh, man. Neither have I...", Marik said, disappointed.

"Then why do you ask me?"

"I thought you'd pay for the two of us..."

"Like hell I would", Malik said, laughing and crossed his arms.

"You know, bro, I know a way how we could get some money...", Marik whispered into his brother's ear.

"Oh nonononono, Marik!", Malik told him. "You won't steal anything now! We've just arrived here a while ago and I don't think Ishizu would be happy if she had to fetch you from the police station."

Marik raised his arms in an innocent gesture, grinning. "Hey, hey! I didn't mean stealing. I thought you could strip here and now and ask the spectators for money, heh."

Malik hit his brother on his head. "Dumbass!"

"What? I just wanted to share my thoughts with my beloved brother. Can't I even do that anymore?", Marik smirked and rubbed his head.

"Not if you have thoughts as stupid as those!", Malik snapped, his arms crossed again.

Grinning, the two werewolves walked on.

Suddenly, Malik noticed the game shop they'd passed already the previous day. When the two of them passed it, Malik looked through the shopwindow as casually as possible, hoping to see the white-haired beauty with those chocolate brown orbs again. However, he had no luck. The game shop was closed this day, thus no one was inside.

Sighing, he looked forward again.

A little later, a strange feeling, almost like a feeling of nausea, came over Malik. Abruptly, he stopped walking and quickly pressed his hand on his mouth, his eyes widened.

What was this feeling? So sudden...

"Malik? Hey, are you alright?"

Malik could feel a hand on his shoulder. Drops of sweat ran down his forehead and his heart began to race.

"Hey, what's wrong?"

Someone... was watching the two of them...

"Malik!"

His werewolf-instinct told him.

_Slap._

Now his cheek ached. Malik looked up, directly into the dark purple eyes of his brother, and held his cheek.

"Ow...", he mumbled.

"Why do you space out all the time lately, huh?", Marik questioned, his arms crossed. "Jeez!"

"This... was different. I didn't space out", the other defended himself. "Marik. Don't you have this strange feeling, too? ... As if someone's... watching our every step?"

Marik narrowed his dark eyes and looked deep into Marik's lavender eyes. Then, he looked around, slowly and carefully. Was there really someone following them?

"The instinct of a werewolf is good", Marik whispered to himself. "Where are they hiding, I wonder..."

Malik watched his brother silently. Maybe this was why Ishizu was acting so strange this morning. She probably felt that someone would shadow them.

Marik's piercing eyes scanned every corner. The moment, he wanted to turn his head into the direction his back was facing, a figure who had been staring at them from afar disappeared rapidly in an alley. Too rapidly. Malik, who was looking across his brother's shoulder, noticed the suspicious behavior of that person.

"Quick, Marik", he said and began to run into the direction of their follower. "I've found them."

Marik ran after him, but when the twins reached the alley, a dead end, there was no one.

Stunned, Malik turned his head into all possible directions; without success. Their follower had disappeared into thin air.

"What the... Where the hell is that guy?", Malik asked.

"He's gone, dammit", Marik mumbled. "Are you sure he went into this alley?"

"I'm positive!"

"But how could he disappear? There is no way he could! There are high walls roundabout", Marik said. "He's got to have wings in order to disappear from here..."

The two Egyptians narrowed their eyes.

"What did he look like, Malik?", Marik asked.

"Tri-colored spiky hair, similar to yours...", Malik stopped. "Wait a minute. I think we've seen him before!"

"We did?"

"Yeah, remember the guy you laughed about yesterday, when we were walking around town?", Malik questioned. "Does that ring a bell?"

"Do you mean that guy with the horrible hair style?", Marik asked.

"Yes, that guy. Our follower and him... I think they're one and the same", Malik explained.

**-Yugi and Yami-**

"Man, that was close", Yami sighed and wiped over his forehead. "I hadn't thought they'd notice me. At least not that quickly... Werewolves are thought to be rather dull..." He was standing on top of a building near to the alley he'd just been in. His shirt was torn, thanks to the fact that he'd been forced to use his wings in order to escape. And that in broad daylight!

"That's just great", he groaned and looked at his watch. It was half past one already. Yugi had to be waiting at the museum for half an hour!

Quickly, Yami got his cellphone out of his pocket and dialed Yugi's number.

"Hello?", the younger one said.

"Hey, Yugi. It's me, Yami."

"Yami, are you alright?", Yugi asked, concerned.

"Yeah. I found the werewolves, but they noticed me immediately and I had to use my wings in order to escape", Yami explained. "My shirt's torn. I'm glad I was fast enough so no one noticed the wings. Is it okay if we meet at home instead of the museum?"

"Yes, of course! But Yami, what about the werewolves?", Yugi questioned.

"They're already gone and I don't know where. They'd notice me straightaway anyways", Yami told him. "We have to think of another plan to find out whether they're good or evil."

It was silent for a moment, before Yugi answered.

"Okay. That's the best idea, I guess. See you at home."

"Yes, see you, Yugi. Take care", Yami said and put his cellphone back into his pocket. Then, he went home as fast as possible.

When Yami arrived at home, Yugi was already there, standing at the table in their kitchen. He looked up, smiling, when Yami entered and fell round the taller one's neck. Laughing, Yami buried his nose in Yugi's tri-colored hair and pressed him to his chest.

After a moment or two, they let go of each other and Yami plunked down into the next chair, exhausted. Yugi tilted his head to one side and eyed Yami's torn shirt.

"Oh", he whispered and took a shred of Yami's "shirt" into his hands and looked down at it. "Jeez, Yami", he grinned. "You don't expect me to wash this once more, do you?"

Smiling, Yami shook his head and looked up to the ceiling. He sighed. "I didn't think werewolves had that acute senses. They noticed me immediately! Immediately, do you understand, Yugi?"

Yugi furrowed his brow. "Yes, of course, Yami. ... But...It's kinda strange, if you ask me. All the werewolves we've met up to now..."

"...were rather dull, yeah", Yami finished his sentence.

"So they are an exception? Something special?", Yugi mumbled.

Yami shrugged. "I really don't know, Yugi, I really don't know. Anyways. All that means that shadowing them is not possible. They'd notice us", Yami sighed once more. "We have to think of something else."

"Well, the easiest method is to wait until they act suspiciously", Yugi told him.

Yami stood up and began to walk back and forth. "But it's our duty to pay attention that not a single human is harmed by inhuman creatures! We have to keep them save! Ugh..." And he sat down again.

"Hmm... Still, all we can do right now is wait patiently", Yugi meant.

Yami nodded. "Yeah, looks like it."

"So tomorrow...?", Yugi asked and Yami groaned.

"So tomorrow we won't shadow them, but go to school as per usual. ...Maybe we're lucky and meet the werewolves again, coincidentally. Who knows?"

Yugi smiled. "Yes, who knows? Coincidences happen more often than assumed."

**-To be continued-**

**Since it's been (again ^^;;;;) an awfully long time without an update (for more information go to my profile :] ), the next chapter will be something like a bonus chapter, as an apology. ^_^ So, look forward to it. It'll be up soon, since I've already written it. :D **

**~Crystal of Moonlight~**


	11. Chapter 10 Ryou's Past

**Hi! ^_^ This is the bonus chapter I was talking about in chapter 9 (I hope y'all noticed that I've uploaded chapter 9 on Wednesday). :D And it's extra-long! Yay! (Longest chapter I've ever written... :D )**

**At the beginning, I wrote the last part of the Ryou & Bakura scene of chapter 8, so that you know what has happened before. :] Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!**

**Chapter 10**

**Interesting is the fact, that stories about blood-drinking creatures have been existing**

**for thousands of years**, **in various parts of the world. **

**On top of that in times without internet!**

**Ryou's Past**

**-Ryou and Bakura-**

"Bakura?", Ryou began and dared to ask a question that has been on his mind for an eternity. "Have you... ever regretted that you changed me?"

Bakura looked up into Ryou's dark chocolate brown eyes. His brow furrowed, the taller vampire left the living room and went upstairs into his bedroom without replying to Ryou.

"Have I?", Bakura wondered and slumped down on his bed.

After Ryou had asked this the past night, the two white haired vampires had been thinking, either of them in their own bedroom. Thinking about the past, their first encounter and everything that followed.

...

_*flashback*_

_The flames surrounded her like a warm fur coat and muffled her bloodcurdling screams. She couldn't move, as she was tied to the stake. This was her end. The flames began to eat away at her body. All ablaze, a little later her screams and cries faded away, and so did her hopes._

_Among the people, the villagers, who viewed the spectacle, there were also five figures dressed in black coats, their white hair signalizing that they belonged together. The light of the fire danced on their skin while tears ran down their pale cheeks. Their gazes were averted from the sight that met their eyes. The two smallest figures squeezed each other's hands, whispering "Everything will be fine", even though they had lost their hope long ago, and tried to block the cheers of the villagers around them out._

_Tonight, they had lost their mother._

_Their dear mother, the person who'd raised them, who'd showed them love and..._

_This wasn't right! This couldn't be true! This... was a nightmare!_

_Ryou couldn't pull himself together anymore. He burst into tears and fell on his knees, his fists clenched tightly, sobbing and gasping. _

"_Brother", the smallest black-dressed figure fell on her knees next to him and hugged him. "Brother, stop crying, please, please...", Amane begged. _

_Ryou looked at her, his eyes wide, tears flowing down his face like rivers. "Amane...", he whispered. There was his younger sister, trying to comfort him in their worst hour whereas it was actually his duty to do that for her. _

_Later, when the other villagers were already gone, the five white haired persons stayed until the body of her mother had burned to ashes completely. _

_None of them spoke while they were walking to their house. And after having arrived there, still no one uttered a single word, all night long._

_Ryou lay down on his bed and looked up at the wooden ceiling._

_The judges must have made a mistake. His mother couldn't have been a witch... She was so kind and... caring. In the end, she'd been just... ill. But not a witch!_

_Ryou clenched his fists. After an argument with one of their neighbors, his mother suddenly had been accused of witchcraft. And then... the worst time in Ryou's life had begun. _

_Men working for the court came into the little village, which was located 60 kilometer to the west of London, conducted his mother away, all of a sudden, leaving behind four speechless children who didn't know what was going on and where they brought their mother, and an angry husband. _

_While Ryou's two elder sisters cared for Ryou and Amane, their father went and searched for his wife. When he'd found her, weeks later, they had tormented her senseless and had driven her insane. She was not recognizable, almost a completely different person! _

_And no matter how often Ryou's father told the judges to let his wife leave since she was definitely not a witch, all they did was ignore whatever he said. He didn't stand a chance. There was nothing he could do. No one could rescue his wife, the mother of four children. _

_Under torture, they forced a confession out of Ryou's mother, because no one was punished without having confessed the use of sorcery. _

_And so she was brought back into the village, where everybody knew about what was going on, of course, and there she was burned alive at the stake, and her death was acclaimed._

_How would Ryou's life go on? Without his mother? What should they do?_

_The following weeks were hard for the family, especially for the children. The disgusted glances of their fellow villagers and the fact that everyone disowned them were hard to stand. _

_Ryou's oldest sister left the village in order to work and earn some money as a maid in the house of some nobles in London._

_His father got drunk every day; in fact, there was not a single day where he was sober anymore. He didn't work anymore and he didn't care about what happened to his children. _

_And Ryou's older sister was cleaning the house and cooking all day. Of course, Ryou and Amane helped her as often as possible. _

_The situation stayed like that for about a year, then the next tragedy befell the family. They got a letter that told them, that their oldest sister, who had worked for those nobles in London, died of the sweating sickness within a few hours, just like the nobles themselves as well as the other maids and servants. _

_The shock was profound. First they lost their mother, and then their oldest sister. And without even noticing, they lost their father as well, somewhere, some when, since he wasn't there for them, never._

_Desperate, the three remaining children tried to find a way out of their misery._

_Sitting in their kitchen around the small table, their older sister began to talk to them._

"_Ryou, Amane...", she said. "I... I can't work, keep house and care for you, all at once. I'm... I cannot do this! I can't... Do you understand?", the girl asked, sobbing. _

"_Sis... We... I... You don't have to do everything! I can help, too!", Ryou piped up. "I'm almost sixteen years old. The other boys in the village work ever since they're thirteen or fourteen! Why can't I...?"_

"_Ryou, listen. Mother and father never expected you to work as soon as all the other boys did", his sister explained. "You're such a... tender... boy. Do you understand? No offense, but... you're just not as strong as the other boys. Mother and father were happy that you were here and that you could take care for Amane."_

_Ryou gulped and looked at Amane, into her tired big brown eyes. "I understand", he whispered. "I really do." He paused. "But, I... I really could help you! I can work! I can!"_

"_Listen to me, Ryou", his older sister demanded. "I beg you. Do as I say. Otherwise..." She sighed as tears started to roll down her cheeks. "You and Amane will go to aunt Anne. I've sent her a letter explaining our situation and everything else and she replied and told me that it's possible for you to come to her. She doesn't have a husband, she was never able to get a child, so she'd be happy to care for you two. She has a nice house and lives only about 10 kilometers away from Halifax. That means that it's possible for you to go into the city once in a while! Isn't that great?"_

_Ryou looked at her, his face serious and unbelieving. He and Amane, they should... leave their home? Leave their sister and father behind? _

"_Sis... I... I don't know whether that's a good idea", Ryou said. "Amane and I, we don't even really know aunt Anne."_

"_You've seen her before", his sister protested. "Even though you probably don't remember her."_

"_Yes, but... she's not our family. Not like you, not like father. She's just a relative of ours. Nothing more", he explained and patted Amane's head. _

"_Ryou, don't make this even harder than it is. Do you think I want to send you away?", his sister questioned. _

"_Why don't you come with us?", he asked her._

_His sister began to laugh. A sad, creepy laugh. "Don't you think I would if I could? Don't you think I would love to leave this village and all our problems behind?" She paused and shook her head, looking down. "But our father is still here. Someone has to care for him. He's our father. It's as simple as that."_

"_But-", Ryou began, but his sister interrupted him._

"_No, Ryou", she shook her head. "It's alright. This is what I want. So please do as I say."_

_A moment of silence followed._

_The three siblings looked at each other. _

_Frowning, Ryou looked down at his lap and shook his head. "Alright. If that's what you want." _

_Then he looked at Amane who forced a tiny smile onto her pale round face. _

"_We'll go. This is the best we can do", he announced. _

_The small girl tilted her head and her siblings stroke over her long white hair. _

_..._

_A few days later, the two white haired children sat in the coach on their way northwards, to their aunt. None of them knew, what would await them there._ _Would their life there be better or worse?_

_/It can't get worse/, Ryou thought._ _/Amane and I, we've come through the worst time of our life._ _Things can only get better now./_

_However, things could get worse. Ryou just didn't know it at that time._

_When they finally arrived at aunt Anne's house, the welcome was anything but warm and friendly. It turned out that aunt Anne was an old hag and if Amane and Ryou's future wouldn't have been put into her hands, he would have accused her of witchcraft, because he knew at first sight that this woman wasn't good for them at all. _

_And his fears were proven to be true sooner than expected. Aunt Anne harassed them from the very beginning and let them do hard, dirty work. It was obvious that the letter she'd sent to their sister had been dripping with lies. She used Ryou and Amane as servants and she herself didn't lift a finger. They had to clean the house and work on the field, even though Ryou's older sister had written a letter to her telling that their siblings couldn't do work like that. But aunt Anne did not care. The two white haired children didn't even have a proper room, but a small, dirty closet with two small beds and a tiny table. _

_..._

_Two weeks flew by._

_It was almost midnight, when the siblings could finally slump down on their beds, exhausted and hungry. _

"_Br-Brother", Amane sniffed. "Why...? Why...?"_

_Ryou breathed noisily. "I don't know, Amane. I don't know why this woman does this to us after all we've been through. I can't believe someone like that is our relative."_

"_I... I want to go home", Amane whispered._

"_We can't", Ryou told her. "I would go, run away, if we could, but she would tell our sister and we've promised to live here without causing trouble."_

"_Do we... have to stay here the rest of our lives?", Amane asked, fearfully. _

"_No", Ryou answered firmly and clenched his fist. "In a few years, I will take you with me to a place far away and we'll live happily and... I'm sure. I promise."_

"_I'm glad", Amane whispered. "To have you as my brother, Ryou."_

"_I'm glad as well to have you as my sister, Amane", Ryou assured her. _

"_Please, Ryou. Don't ever leave me alone", Amane demanded. "Please, always take me with you, wherever you go." _

_Ryou smiled. "I promise", he said, without understanding the meaning of these two words. _

_Then, the two of them lay down and held each other's hands, since the space between their beds was small enough to do that. Soon, they were asleep. This was the first time, Ryou had the slight feeling of somebody watching the two of them on the quiet._

_..._

_It didn't take long and midsummertime arrived. It was warm and in spite of the hard work, Ryou and Amane were happy. Happy to still be alive after staying here for more than three months. How much longer could they stand or rather survive living and working here? _

_And even though they silently wished to be able to go back to their father and sister, knowing that life there would have been better, none of the two siblings damned their older sister for the decision she made. She'd meant it good. _

_..._

_When the midsummertime was slowly coming to an end, it began to rain. And it didn't stop for days. Nevertheless, Ryou and Amane had to do their work outside. Aunt Anne didn't care whether it was hot or cold, sunny or rainy or whether Ryou and Amane were ill or healthy. To her, they were but servants. _

_The rainy days carried consequences with them. It was Ryou's birthday, 2__nd__ September, when Amane became ill and couldn't work as much as usually. Ryou would have helped his younger sister, he really wanted to, but he couldn't since he had to do his own work. _

_The censorious eyes of aunt Anne didn't miss anything and aunt Anne knew no mercy. She was a cruel woman and Ryou didn't wonder why she was unmarried and all alone. _

_As soon as she spotted that Amane neglected her work (she was ill after all), she dragged the small skinny girl into the house and locked her into a tiny, dark chamber. When the sobs of the girl didn't stop, aunt Anne went into the chamber, and the only things Ryou could hear were blows followed by cries that made his blood run cold. No matter how long Ryou stroke against the wooden door of the chamber and shouted Amane's name and that aunt Anne should punish him instead of his little sister, neither the blows nor the cries would stop. Completely exhausted, he slid down along the door, and waited, continuing to whisper his sister's name. When the door finally opened, his aunt walked past him, looking down at him as if he were scum. Quickly, Ryou crawled into the chamber, finding his sister sitting in one corner in the darkness as quiet as a mouse. He helped her up, trying not to touch her, since she winced whenever he did that. He brought her into their room and stayed at her side all night long._

_Only at the next morning, the two of them could look at the whole extent of Amane's punishment. Scratches, open sores and bruises everywhere on the small girl's body. It was more than shocking and anger rose in Ryou's heart. Doing something like this to his sister... What should he do? Whatever he would do in order to revenge his sister, nothing would get better because of that. Everything would get only worse and he didn't want that. The two of them had it hard enough already. So all he could do was swallow his anger._

_Amane wasn't able to work that day, due to her injuries as well as the fever that came all of a sudden. _

_When Ryou appeared alone on the field to work, aunt Anne didn't say anything, surprisingly, and Ryou was glad that she didn't punish his sister once again. _

_The only thing on Ryou's mind was Amane. Her fever was serious. He knew that. Would she be able to take it? All he could do was hope and pray that she could. As often as possible, he checked on her and brought her herbs he found, herbs thought to be antipyretic. _

_However, it didn't take long and he felt ill himself, though he told no one. His sister would only worry and aunt Anne didn't help his sister, so why would she help Ryou?_

_That night, Ryou woke up in the middle of the night, all sweaty and dizzy. He felt really bad and he didn't know what to do. This didn't feel like a normal cold. _

_/I cannot die now/, he told himself. /I have to be there for Amane and stay with her.../_

_In panic, he stumbled out of their closet and then outside into the darkness. There was a brook somewhere nearby, he was sure, since he'd seen it often enough, but where was it? He had to cool himself, somehow, since he felt like burning from the inside. Ryou couldn't see anything in the darkness, and the fact that he felt lightheaded and feverish didn't help at all. _

_Again and again, he tripped over stones and stuff lying around on the ground. He skinned his knees and elbows and after a while, he started to throw up blood. _

"_This... is the end... dammit", he muttered and tripped once again. _

_Lying on the cold grass felt good. Ryou turned over onto his back, so that he could look at the stars up there in the pitch-black sky. When he reached out for them, a bad feeling overcame him and Ryou felt his heart beat speed up. He gulped. This feeling... he had felt it already often since he and Amane had arrived here. It was the feeling of being watched. _

_He could hear footfalls approaching. _

_Panicky, he jumped to his feet, ignoring the fact that he was barely able to stand. His first thought was that aunt Anne had noticed him going outside and wanted to punish him, but he was wrong. When he looked into the direction of the footfalls, a person paler than he was came closer. Still, something about that person was alarming, and Ryou backed away from them instinctively. _

_/RUN!/, a voice in Ryou's head ordered. /RUN!/_

_An appalling grin appeared on the person's face and exposed sharp fangs._

"_Oh my...", Ryou gasped and stumbled backwards. In the same moment, the person dashed to Ryou's side and tried to cut him off. _

_Ignoring his dizziness and pains and fever, Ryou ran as fast as he could, away, away from this creature._

_/VAMPIRE!/, Ryou shouted mentally and kept running. /AMANE!/_

_He didn't see where he was running, but he thought he was approaching the forest, since the grass there was higher and more and more bushes appeared, which scratched his skin. _

_Ryou didn't know where this energy came from all of a sudden, but he was thankful for it and kept running. Somehow, he had to find back to the house and rescue his sister, but how? _

_All he heard while he was running were his gasps, his heartbeat and the vampire's laughter that came closer and closer._

_Suddenly, Ryou found himself pinned down on the ground and he couldn't move anymore._

_Smirking, the vampire looked down at his prey and watched the horror crawl onto the boy's face. _

_Trembling, Ryou tried to break away, but he stood no chance. He was too weak at that point. _

"_Please", he whispered in mortal fear. "Have mercy and let me go. I have a younger sister... I... I have to-"_

"_Shh-shh, Ryou", the vampire told him calmly. _

"_My name? How-", Ryou wanted to now._

"_You know, this is not the first night I've come here", the vampire explained, grinning, and a cold shiver ran down Ryou's back. "I've watched the two of you." That was the truth. The vampire had observed them ever since they'd come here. The way the old hag who lived in the house tormented the children had amused him, at first. It had been an interesting little game to him. A game, he'd watched all too often in the past. _

_The vampire's crimson eyes stared into Ryou's frightened chocolate brown ones. The boy gulped. _

_But then, his feelings had changed. He'd felt pity for the two of them, especially for the boy. He'd never felt pity for anyone before, but this boy... he was different. _

_The vampire had noticed the fact that Ryou and Amane were ill and that they wouldn't survive this illness as long as the hag didn't help them. And the vampire noticed also that he __**needed**__ this boy at any rate. _

_Whenever he'd watched him, he'd had this strange feeling, a mixture of greed and passion. _

_Whenever he'd watched him, he could almost feel his heart beat again, even though that was definitely not possible._

_He couldn't let him die, this pure soul. So he had to interfere before it was too late. And that point of time was now. _

_The vampire had no intention of killing him, but he wanted to make Ryou his partner. He'd been alone for millennia. Having a partner... was the right thing. Changing Ryou... was the right thing to do. The young boy would die, otherwise. And after all these torments he had to suffer and the misery he had to bear... wasn't it only just that Ryou survived, if not as a human, then as a vampire?_

_Never had the vampire hesitated when he wanted to change or kill someone. And he wouldn't do it this time either!_

_One last time, he looked at Ryou's trembling body and into his scared face. _

_One last time, crimson eyes met chocolate brown ones. _

_Then, the vampire got on his knees, bent forward and licked Ryou's throat._

_Terrified, Ryou began to struggle and struggle, to no avail, since the vampire's strong hands simply wouldn't let go of him. _

"_No", Ryou whispered. "No, please, stop! No!"_

_But the vampire didn't stop. He opened his mouth and his fangs reflected the moonlight._

_One last time, Ryou called for his sister. "NO! AMANE!"_

_And then, the sharp fangs pierced through his delicate skin and went deeper until they reached his aorta. Blood flowed out of the wound and down along his throat. On the ground next to him was already a pool of his own blood. Shocked, the boy looked at the vampire who was still slurping. Ryou felt nauseated._

_Then, his eyes widened and a wave of pain came over him and he couldn't think anymore, he couldn't comprehend what was going on, he couldn't see and couldn't hear. All he thought about was the pain, the pain, this burning pain. _

_The vampire pulled his teeth out of Ryou's throat and tried to hold on to the boy's head. Then he bent forward again and placed his lips on Ryou's. Carefully, the vampire opened his mouth and let Ryou's own blood flow into the boy's mouth. _

_Ryou choked, gagged and squirmed with pain on the soil, the blood trickling our of his mouth and down to his chin. The vampire let go of him. The boy wasn't able to run away now anyways. _

_The young boy could hear his heart beat louder and stronger and faster than ever, as if it knew that the next beat could be its last one. _

_What Ryou didn't notice was that the vampire stayed at his side and tried to calm him; of course he failed. _

_The pain wouldn't stop and Ryou screamed since it burned its way down through his entire body. Was it just his imagination or did he burn for real, like his mother did at the stake?_

_And then he was flying, all of a sudden. This, Ryou couldn't understand. Was it again just his imagination? But he wasn't able to ponder in this situation. Not now._

_The feeling of flying faded, slowly, and Ryou's heart began to beat slower and slower. _

_The moment the last, loud beat made his body shake, he felt like drowning. Gasping for breath, Ryou clutched at his throat, still writhing in pain. Did someone throw him into the sea? First they burned him and now they wanted him to drown? _

_What sort of sick game was this?_

_He felt his last bit of air disappearing and then everything wet black and he lost consciousness. ..._

_When he woke up and opened his eyes, Ryou was confused. Even though it was pitch-dark, he could see everything. Just... where was he? And more importantly, what had happened? _

_He couldn't remember anything at all._

_For a while, all he did was stare up at the stony ceiling. This... seemed to be a cave._

"_How did I get here?", he wondered aloud._

"_I brought you, of course."_

_Startled, Ryou looked to his right. A pale, white-haired man stood there._

_All of a sudden, the memories of what had happened streamed back into his mind like an ocean of thoughts. _

"_Ugh", Ryou groaned with pain and clutched at his head. Then he looked to his right again and flinched. "You...", he mumbled wide-eyed. "You're the... vampire!"_

"_Just call me Bakura", the vampire told him and smiled._

"_No... this... has to be a nightmare! I-I..", Ryou stuttered. Suddenly, he thought of what was most precious to him. "Amane.. Where's...Have you?" In panic, he jumped up, more easily than ever before. He looked around and wanted to run, but Bakura seized him at his shoulder and stopped him. "I've done nothing to her, Ryou", Bakura assured him._

"_Liar! Let go of me!", Ryou shouted and tried to wrest himself free. However, Bakura was stronger. "I have to see my sister! I've made a promise...!" Bakura shook his head and shoved Ryou against the wall of the cave. _

"_Listen! You cannot go back! Never!", he told him firmly. "Remember what has happened and look at yourself!"_

_The boy furrowed his brow and looked at his arms. All wounds had disappeared and his skin was even paler than before, almost transparent! _

_Ryou gulped. Slowly, he understood, but... it couldn't be true!_

_He moved his right hand to his chest and searched for a heartbeat, but he found none. Wide-eyed, he looked up at Bakura, who looked back at him with a serious expression._

"_Do you finally understand?", Bakura asked._

_Disbelieving, Ryou shook his head. "No, no", he muttered over and over again. _

"_Ryou, face the reality", Bakura ordered. "You're a-"_

"_NOOO!", Ryou screamed, pressed his hands on his ears and fell on his knees. "No. No. No."_

_The boy looked as if he was about to go insane. _

_Bakura didn't know what to do. Never in his millennia-old life had he experienced something like that. _

_So he waited, quietly. Bakura waited for a long time, for hours, for days in silence, until Ryou had finally calmed down._

"_I... don't want to be a monster", the boy whispered finally. "I don't... want to be a beast that kills humans and all that stuff..." He might have calmed down, but he had not accepted his existence as a vampire and everything else. That was for sure._

_Bakura looked at him, taken aback, and wondered whether this was the boy's only worry. _

"_You... don't have to be one", Bakura told him and Ryou sat up._

"_My sister... what will happen to her? She's ill... very ill. And I've promised her to stay at her side forever and take her with me wherever I go...", Ryou explained. "She'll worry... She'll think that I lied to her... What shall I do?"_

"_There is nothing you can do, Ryou", Bakura answered calmly. "Like you said... she's very ill. She'll probably succumb to the disease. If she hasn't already."_

"_Why should I believe you?", Ryou shouted, desperate. "You're a vampire! Humans detest creatures like you!"_

"_You're like me now, too, remember?", Bakura snapped. "If you don't believe me, then whom should you believe? Don't think the humans would welcome you as soon as they see you! Believe me, humans are not dumb. They'll recognize what you are sooner than you expect! And sometimes the humans are crueler than us vampires."_

_The two vampires stared at each other. _

_Ryou bit on his lip and tore his hair. "It's my fault..."_

"_There's nothing you could have done to help her. With or without you at her side, her end is near", Bakura said, his arms crossed over his chest._

"_But if you hadn't changed me, I would at least be dead, too!", Ryou yelled. "My sister and I... we would be together, like I promised. But now..?"_

_Silence filled the cave. The two vampires didn't talk, nor did they breathe. _

"_What now?", Ryou asked and broke the silence._

"_Hmm?"_

"_What will you do to me, now that I'm like you?", Ryou questioned. "What do you expect from me? You didn't change me without reason, did you? Vampires... kill humans, usually, don't they? But you...didn't. Why?"_

_Bakura didn't answer immediately. He thought about what he should tell the boy._

"_I... This is not the right time to tell you", the older vampire stated. _

_Ryou wanted to talk back, but he knew it would lead to nothing. His entire existence would lead to nothing from now on. Why wasn't he dead? Why did this monster not kill him? Just why?_

"_Aren't you thirsty?", Bakura asked casually._

_Ryou gulped. "Thirs...ty?" He knew he was a vampire now, and he felt a burning sensation in his throat, that felt more like hunger than thirst, but did he really have to... drink blood? Blood... of humans?_

"_Come on, it's about time to show you how to hunt", Bakura grinned, satisfied and pulled Ryou through the cave into the direction of the exit._

"_No, please, I don't want to...", Ryou stuttered. "They're humans! I cannot kill them! I was one, too!"_

"_Tss, you'll get used to it, believe me", Bakura told him. "I'm a vampire already for such a long time, I don't even know anymore what it was like to be human."_

_Ryou's eyes widened at these words. Would he, too, loose all his humanity as time goes by? Would he end as a bloodthirsty monster?_

"_No, I won't do that!", Ryou protested and stopped walking._

_Bakura turned around, his eyes narrowed and his face twisted into an angry grimace. "Listen, you stop whining now, okay? We won't die if we don't drink blood, but it's what keeps our body from rotting. Though our bodies wouldn't rot completely. But... it's really unpleasant, especially the smell. And it's not the only reason why we drink blood! The other reason is much more important! If you don't drink blood, you'll really end up as an insane bloodthirsty, murdering monster!", he shouted. "And that is exactly what you don't want to be, if I'm right."_

_Once again, Ryou gulped. Was that true? Could he believe this vampire's words? "Isn't there an alternative?"_

"_A what? Come on, Ryou. You're a vampire, and once you see me hunting, you'll see that it's only natural if you do it, too", Bakura explained. "Humans eat beings that are weaker than them, and vampires do that, too! This is the circle of life!"_

"_No, it's not a circle!", Ryou disagreed. "Unless there is something that hunts vampires."_

_Bakura frowned. "Believe me, Ryou, such beings exist. And our only way to die is to be caught by such creatures."_

"_What are they, these beings?", Ryou asked, carefully. _

"_Werewolves and... angels", the older vampire answered._

"_Angels? Well, that's not really surprising then", the boy muttered. "They exist to annihilate evil, after all."_

"_You think that because you've never met one", Bakura grunted. "Angels are far more evil than you think! They're not those divine creatures everyone believes in. They can be quite devious and sinister."_

"_I don't believe you", Ryou mumbled._

_Bakura groaned. "Well, whatever. Now, follow me!", he said and began to run, run with inhuman speed and pulled Ryou along. _

_Suddenly, Ryou knew why he'd thought that he was flying earlier when he'd been in so much pain. This speed with which Bakura ran was the reason. It was... incredible! _

_They got to the exit of the cave rather quickly and Ryou found himself in the middle of a forest._

_The boy looked around. _

"_Where are we? What day is it?", he wondered aloud. _

"_This is a forest not that far away from your aunts house. I stayed in the cave at daytime ever since I began watching you", Bakura explained. "Today has to be the 10__th__ September, I guess."_

"_What's that supposed to mean?"_

"_Well, turning into a vampire lasts exactly two nights and one day", Bakura told him. "I found you on the 5__th__. You woke up on the 6__th__ and took four nights and days to calm down. It's as simple as that."_

"_Oh, I see", Ryou mumbled. _

"_And now come one", Bakura urged. "We don't have that much time. It'll dawn soon and we still haven't eaten."_

"_Where are we going?", Ryou wanted to know. _

"_There's a cabin nearby, far away from the next village. No one will notice what we did."_

_Desperate, Ryou tried to think while he followed Bakura. He couldn't do this! This was against morality... against his ethics._

_However, he couldn't ignore the burning feeling in his throat any longer either. It got worse and worse. Ryou clutched at his throat. _

_/Come on, Ryou. Get hold of yourself/, he told himself, but the closer they got to the cabin, the thirstier Ryou got. He could smell it, the blood. The human blood._

_... But there was also something else. _

_Without Bakura noticing, Ryou stopped and looked around until he spotted it. His mouth was watering as he watched the pulsation of his prey's aorta. No longer in control of himself, he dashed through bushes directly to the being that would satisfy his hunger. _

_Instinctively, he rammed his fangs into his prey's throat and sucked every drop of blood he could get. And the feeling was overwhelming! Never in his life had Ryou felt so pleased. _

_When he regained control of himself, he was panting and looking down at the poor deer he'd just killed._

_/Barbaric... barbaric!/, he told himself over and over again. How could he? What had gotten into him?_

_But this... this was the alternative he had searched for! Wasn't killing an animal better than killing a human? He'd eaten meat when he'd been a human, too, so the difference wasn't that big. _

"_W-What the hell are you doing?" Bakura appeared next to him, all of a sudden, perplexed._

"_I...I...", Ryou stammered, wiping away the blood from his lips._

"_You do know the difference between a bat and a vampire, do you?", Bakura questioned. "Vampires need human blood!"_

_Ryou stood up and shook his head. "No, I won't. I'm different."_

"_You're crazy!"_

"_That doesn't matter! As long as I can save a human life, I'm satisfied", he told the older vampire._

_His eyes narrowed, Bakura stared at him. Then he shook his head ans closed his eyes. "Well, do whatever you want. Wait for me, right here. I have to eat something. Now. I'll be right back."_

_And there he was gone. _

_This was Ryou's chance. He could run away, away from this vampire._

_But of what use would that be? He couldn't go back to his sister, he couldn't live among humans, he didn't know anything about this new life. And he still didn't know why Bakura had changed him into a vampire. _

_So he waited. It didn't take long and an overwhelming sweet smelling whiff reached his nose and brought back his thirst. _

"_No...", he whispered and hold fast onto the next tree to keep himself from running into the direction of the scent. This was the scent of human blood, Ryou knew. But this time, he wouldn't lose control. He... was not... a vampire! At least not one that killed humans. He would not get that low. Never. _

_A little later, Bakura came back, the scent of blood glued to his body. Ryou stopped breathing, much to Bakura's amusement. _

"_You won't be able resist forever", he smirked. "One day will be the day when you kill a human, Ryou." _

"_I disagree", Ryou stated. _

"_Well, we will see", Bakura said. "Now, let's go. It's dawning already."_

_While they were going back, Ryou wondered what would happen from now on. Bakura had told him that he was several millennia old and that the only way for a vampire to die was to be killed by either an angel or a werewolf. What would Ryou do, now that he was practically immortal? How for heaven's sake was he supposed to spend thousands of years on earth? Without his family, without his beloved Amane... _

_A wave of guilt came over Ryou once again. Even though Bakura, whom he still didn't dare to trust really, had told him that he could have done nothing for her, since he would've died, too, Ryou felt very guilty. He had promised his sister to stay with her, and now she had to die alone or would have to die alone. Aunt Anne wouldn't care, after all. _

_And what would his older sister think? Would aunt Anne tell her that her younger brother had disappeared and her younger sister had died? That she was all alone now with her father? That nobody of her family would come back? _

"_Stop thinking about what was", Bakura grunted. "Think about what will come!"_

_The two of them had reached their cave and went along the long tunnel until they arrived in the huge circular part of the cave, that was as big as a ballroom, where Ryou had awakened earlier. _

"_How did you now what I was thinking about?", Ryou asked him. "Is this some magical trick or power you have?"_

_Bakura laughed. "No, but it was obvious. Even a human could've read your thoughts on your face."_

_Ashamed of being so easy to see through, Ryou quickly changed the subject. _

"_I wonder...", he began. "Is it true that vampires cannot go into the sunlight and that they sleep at daytime? In coffins?"_

_Again, Bakura laughed. "Nah, all that's nonsense!", he told him. "We can go into the sunlight. I've told you before that we cannot die that easily."_

"_Oh, yes. I forgot...", Ryou mumbled. He was relieved, since he loved sunny days so much._

"_But it is true that we avoid the sunlight", Bakura explained._

"_Why is that?", Ryou questioned._

"_It hurts", he stated._

"_What?", Ryou's eyes widened._

"_Yeah, but don't worry. It's bearable. That pain is nothing compared to the pain of changing into a vampire", Bakura assured him, much to Ryou's relief. "It's more like an unpleasant feeling in your body and on your skin. Not really a pain."_

"_That's... good? I suppose...", Ryou muttered._

_Bakura shrugged. _

"_Now, what about sleeping?", the boy asked again._

"_We don't have to", Bakura told him. "But it's not impossible."_

_Ryou nodded. So he would be able to keep at least some human manners._

_Bakura watched the white-haired boy, his new partner. Everything... worked easier than expected. Ryou seemed to have accepted that there was no way back and that it'd be best to stay with Bakura. And the older vampire was glad about it. _

"_What... are you going to do now?", Ryou asked and brought Bakura out of his thoughts. "We won't stay here in this cave forever, will we?"_

"_No, 'course not", Bakura grinned. "We can do whatever you want. Traveling to faraway countries, climbing the highest mountains, things like that."_

"_Why?", Ryou questioned, leaned against the wall and looked down at the ground. _

"_Hmn? Because we can", Bakura, who stood in the middle of the hall, told him. "There's nothing we have to do, we have enough time to do it and no one will keep us from doing it."_

"_No", Ryou shook his head, his white bangs hiding his eyes. "Why do you tell me that we can do whatever __**I**__ want. What... was the reason behind changing me?" He looked up at Bakura and his gaze seemed to pierce through the older vampire. _

_Should he tell him his reason? Bakura sighed inwardly and let his hand run through his white mane. _

"_You know... I've watched a lot of humans in my life out of boredom", Bakura began and also began to slowly walk towards Ryou. "Farmers, servants, humans of low degree, murderers, doctors, but also nobles and all those other rich men and women. I've watched old people dying and children being born. I've watched humans kill one another. I've watched happy families and families like yours, destroyed, humans like you've been, desperate._

"_It amused me. It was my hobby, in a way. I found humans pathetic and interesting, the way they let their emotions take control of them or how love effected them seemed always funny to me. _

"_At first glance, humans were different from one another. But if you watched them only long enough, you got to know that they were all the same. Egoistic beings wearing masks. _

"_And then, you appeared. Your sister and you, you've been through a lot and would live with your aunt now. That was what I got to know. I don't know why, but I was curious and decided to watch the two of you and your aunt. _

"_She used you as her slaves. It happened to be an interesting little game I'd seen all too often in the past, but I was still curious. Curious how long you would be able to take it."_

_Bakura paused to see Ryou's reaction, but the only thing he did was clench his fists._

_The older vampire went on._

"_However, you surprised me, Ryou. No matter what you had to do and what your aunt did to the both of you, you kept calm and didn't let your anger take you over. You thought about what was best for your sister. You tried to protect her._

"_You were probably the first honest human I'd seen for a long time. You weren't egoistic, you had a pure heart and soul. _

"_And then, you and your sister got ill and I could see that death was waiting for you. I felt pity for you. For the first time in my existence, I felt pity for someone. That wasn't like me at all", Bakura grinned. "I, the cold, numb, bloodthirsty creature, felt pity for a human."_

_He paused._

"_I didn't want to let you die. And I realized something..."_

_By now, the older vampire was only a step away from Ryou. He bent forward and whispered into the boy's ear._

"_I needed you."_

_Ryou froze. _

"_You would be my partner."_

_Ryou looked up into Bakura's crimson eyes, not understanding what the other was telling him._

"_Damn it, I think I l... like you. That's the reason."_

_Bakura took Ryou's head carefully into his hands and pressed the boy's lips against his own._

_When they broke away, Ryou pushed him to the side, staring at him with wide crimson eyes._

"_Ba... kura..." Ryou called Bakura by his name for the first time, but.. It was not the way Bakura had imagined it to be._

_The boy began to walk, walk into the direction of the exit._

"_Ryou, where are you going?", Bakura shouted after him, not sure how he should feel about this._

"_Leave me alone", Ryou whispered quickly._

"_What? I make the confession of my life and you run off?", Bakura yelled angrily. "Fuck, Ryou. I just told you I love you!"_

"_You just turned me into a vampire! What do you expect?", Ryou whirled round, panting. "I-I..." He paused._ _"I'll come back, I promise. Just... let me think for a while."_

_And so he disappeared in the darkness of the tunnel, leaving Bakura alone in the hall. _

_He did not feel hurt. Of course not. He was still Bakura, after all. But the fact that he was rejected... he did not know how to feel about it. So he waited until Ryou would come back. _

_The vampire waited and didn't even move one centimeter, his crimson eyes stonily pointed at the spot where Ryou had disappeared._

_Bakura did not know how long he had waited, when the pale figure of Ryou appeared in the darkness again._

_When Ryou approached, Bakura looked at him with a questioning expression and tried to look into Ryou's eyes, but the boy averted his gaze and only as he stood directly in front of him, the young vampire looked up at the older one, his lips pressed tightly together._

"_I've thought about it", Ryou told Bakura. "I... This is definitely not what I had expected", he said, smiling slightly. "But I'll give you a chance. I'll... try to be your partner."_

_Bakura grinned, triumphing, and laid his hands onto Ryou's shoulder. He wanted to say something, but nothing came to his mind._

_Ryou shook his head, smiling. This... was such a great taboo and he'd agreed to it. However, whether he loved Bakura or not was yet to be found out. He did not know him, after all. Ryou had to find out what the older vampire was like before he would made a decision._

_He knew that Bakura's acting had been egoistical, since he didn't want Ryou to die only because he'd fallen in love with him, Ryou was sure. But Ryou also knew, that he would forgive Bakura some day for what he did. Some day. Not right now, but maybe as time goes by. _

_*flashback ends here*_

And Ryou did end up loving Bakura, because when you stay at someone's side for a time as long as the time the two of them had spent together and when you come to know everything about your partner, his past, his thoughts, his strengths and weaknesses, then you will fall in love with them at one time or another, regardless of whether you notice it or not.

Bakura knew that he didn't regret what he'd done. The beginning of their existence together might have been hard for the two vampires, but they'd had so many great times together and he had prevented Ryou from dying. So no, he did not regret a single thing he'd done.

Sighing, he brought himself to stand up and walk over to Ryou's room. In front of the wooden door, he stopped. What should he tell him? How should he begin?

In the end, he decided that he'd take it as it comes and would make the best of it.

So Bakura knocked, even though he knew that Ryou'd noticed him by now. "Ryou, can I... come in?", he asked carefully.

"Go ahead", was the low answer that came from inside.

The older vampire opened the door and entered the room. He spotted Ryou on his bed, his arms crossed under his head, his right knee pulled to his stomach.

The boy's eyes were closed tightly, his lips formed a thin line.

"Ryou...", Bakura began and sat down on the edge of the bed. "I don't regret a single thing I've done since the first time I've seen you."

Ryou opened his eyes and looked at the older vampire, whose back was facing him.

"It's alright", the boy whispered. "It's... alright."

He sat up straight and put his hand on Bakura's side. The older vampire turned his head and looked at him, directly into his brown-red eyes and he could still remember the boy's chocolate brown eyes, the colour they'd had before Bakura had changed him into what he was now.

"Should we... start over?", Ryou asked, smiling.

Bakura kept looking at his smile for a moment or two, before he answered.

"Hi, I'm Bakura. Pleasure to meet you", he said with a feigned serious expression on his pale face.

Grinning, Ryou gave him a playful nudge and placed a kiss on the other's lips.

He was glad, overly glad, that the iciness between them was gone. He was glad that both he himself and Bakura had acknowledged their faults. He was relieved, that everything was like before.

Ryou was happy.

**-To be continued-**

**:D Sweet.**

**I really enjoyed writing this chapter. I think, this is my favorite chappie of this story up to now, since I really put all my heart and soul into writing this. ^_^**

**I hadn't planned to write down that much about Ryou's past, but I'm happy that I did write down all of it in the end ('cause when I read a story, I personally love getting information about a character's past. :3 Don't know what you think about it...) ^^**

**Please tell me what you think about this chapter! Your comments motivate me so much! *Ineedthem* ;D Did I make any grammar mistakes or misspellings? **

**Whatever it is, please tell me!**

**~Crystal of Moonlight~**


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